Michigan IT

Prevent Job Search Embarrassment – Organize Your Job Search!

2011-01-27T09:14:00.000-05:00

Article Title: Prevent Job Search Embarrassment – Organize Your Job Search!
Author Byline: Jessica has a true passion for the job seeker, evidenced by her desire to share everything she can with everyone she can about resume writing and interviewing.
Author Website: http://www.greatresumesfast.com

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Looking for a job is a full-time job”. While many people find themselves in the position of searching for a new job while still employed at their current one, that doesn’t change the fact that you need to handle your job search process as professionally as you would handle the new job if you were to get it. Organization is really the key to being an outstanding candidate.

This week, someone e-mailed me and requested that we get together to discuss her job search. This was a woman I had met at a networking event, and she began her message by saying, “This is Jane Doe, I either met you at this event or this one.” While I know that Jane Doe has been in the job market for quite some time and attends numerous networking functions, the opening of her message was off-putting. If you’re not really sure how you know me, why are you contacting me for assistance?

If networking is a big part of your job process (and it should be!), be sure to organize your contacts in a way that prevents these types of situations from occurring. If you’re not a rock star with remembering names, make notes for yourself on the back of someone’s business card, or when you enter their information into your e-mail address book. Whatever organizational system works for you, the important thing is to have one.

The majority of job seekers apply for multiple jobs, sometimes hundreds, while they’re actively looking for a job. I highly encourage you to keep a spreadsheet, use http://www.jibberjobber.com or some other sort of tracking system to organize your applications, particularly if you apply to more than one position within a company. Some job application sites leave their job descriptions online indefinitely, while others remove theirs as soon as the posting closes. There’s nothing worse than having someone call to interview you for a job that you can’t remember anything about. Don’t rely on anyone else when it comes to staying organized during your job search; keep anything you think you might need in the future. Looking for a job may not actually be your full-time job, but it requires just as much dedication!

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

The Best Places to Work in IT - 1

2010-12-12T09:19:00.000-05:00

Article Title: The Best Places to Work in IT - 1
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://CareerAlley.com

" The secret of creativity is knowing how to hide your sources." Albert Einstein

As you've no doubt figured out by now, there is a list for everything. I'm not sure if it is just that the lists are more accessible via the Internet or if the Internet has inspired more lists (I'm sure it's a little of both). The IT list is provided by Computerworld.com and I will feature it on this blog a few times a month as I work through the list. What I found interesting about the list is that some of the best places for IT are in non-technology companies. Feels counter-intuitive, but what do I know? There is a whole bag full of criteria used (click here to see the entire process), like diversity, training, career development, retention and benefits to name a few. As with other lists, whether you are #1 or #100 does not matter, that you made the list at all is simply amazing given the thousands of companies out there.

USAA - Ranked at #1, with over 21,000 employees and 10% of them in IT, USAA is a financial services company and offers such things as labs for its IT employees to test ideas. Their career site is fairly simple – Find Jobs dominates the page (and why not) with links for Corporate Careers, Customer Contact Careers and other links at the bottom. There are links on the right hand side of the page for a company overview as well as additional resources for job seekers. There were 99 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. - This consulting company is ranked #2 and has 23,000 employees with 295 of them in IT. They hold regular seminars where their IT staff can exchange idea on emerging technologies with leading experts in the field. Their careers page has links on the left hand side of the page for Search, Featured Opportunities, Student Center and links to post your resume and profile. Center page is all about Booz Allen with career related links on the right hand side of the page. There were 1,068 job opportunities when I checked the site.

JM Family Enterprises Inc. - #3 is this automotive company. Promising IT ideas are funded internally and regular meetings are held to brainstorm new technology. They have over 3,700 employees with 340 of them in IT. Their careers page provides a brief overview of the company with links to their companies, their work/life program, benefits and current job openings. There were 130 job opportunities when I checked the site.

General Mills Inc. - Most of us have heard of General Mills which is ranked at #4 on this list. General Mills is best known for Betty Crocker, Häagen-Dazs, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso and Cheerios brands. Their career page has links on the left for Job Search, Campus Events, Explore Careers and more. The middle of the page has a general overview of products. Clicking on Explore Careers will list all of the job functions at the company. Click on Job Search to register on the site or select search openings at the bottom which will return a search engine. There were 133 job opportunities when I checked the site.

University of Pennsylvania - Not a company at all (but definitely a place), but definitely well known and at the top of their list. Ranked at # 5. There are links on the left hand side for search for open positions, how to apply, benefits and more. The center of the page has similar links with Job Opportunities and then background on the University. Their are two choices – faculty (which I’m assuming you do not want) and staff positions. There were 350 staff job opportunities when I checked the site.

Good luck in your search.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

The Best Companies to Work for - Vol 13

2010-11-19T09:36:00.000-05:00

Article Title: The Best Companies to Work for - Vol 13
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://CareerAlley.com

"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof was to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools" - Douglas Adams

Competition. We were taught from a very young age that that's what it's all about (weren't we?). From our first sporting event (did you win or lose?) to your grades in school, to trying out for plays, sports, you name it -taking the SATs and getting into the best college (can you spell scholarship?). It was always about performance (as in being the best). But in the world that we all live in, very few people are at the best at everything, but being the best at even just one thing can sometimes make the difference. That is very much what the best companies are all about. They may not be the best in everything, but what they are best in makes all of the difference.

Build-A-Bear Workshop - Who wouldn’t want to work at the Build-A-Bear Workshop? Ranked at 80 on this years list(up from 94) , Build-A-Bear has over 6,000 employees globally but lost 150 jobs last year. Their career site has a few links on the left for View Opportunities, Benefits and Diversity. There are four choices in the middle of the page - Retail Locations, World Bearquarters (not a misprint), Distribution Center and Internship programs. You can search from each of these tabs for specific job opportunities but you can not search across the entire company.

Meridian Health - Ranked 79, Meridian has over 7,000 employees and hired 615 people last year. Their careers page has an overview center page with links on the left hand side for Search Jobs and links on company information. Click Career Opportunities to open their job search engine. Once you find your job, click for full details and apply directly from that page. There were 307 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Mattel - This toymaker is number 78 on the list. They have over 30,000 employees (with 25,000 outside of the US). Their career site provides links to Jobs, Benefits, Diversity and Campus Recruiting at the top of the page. They provide a direct email address for those needing assistance in contacting them for a job. Center page is a company overview. Clicking on Search Job Listings links to a career center where post your resume, update your resume, review jobs applied for and sign up for a job alert. A quick search returned 334 job openings.

Baker Donelson - A law firm, Baker is ranked 77 on this year's list. They are a small company, and their careers site is fairly simple with sections for Law Students, Lateral Attorneys and Professional Staff. Click the category that pertains to you. Once you click, you will see a full page with an overall description and additional links on the left hand side of the page. Click "Open Positions" to see current job openings.

Balfour Beatty Construction - Ranked at 76, Balfour is a small construction company. Their careers page has quite a few related links on the left hand side of the page. Center page is a company overview, followed by next steps, what to expect and top 10 reasons to work at Balfour. Click job search on the left hand side of the page to see current open positions. You can also join their career center.

Make Your Resume Hiring Manager-Friendly: Focus On Convenience

2010-10-01T08:33:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Make Your Resume Hiring Manager-Friendly: Focus On Convenience
Author Byline: Cathy Eng, CARW, Owner of Resume Rocketeer, Inc.
Author Website: http://www.resumerocketeer.com

When it comes to sending resumes to potential employers, convenience is of the utmost importance. It is true that hiring managers typically spend 10 to 30 seconds scanning a resume for relevant information. Making it easy for employers to find vital information may make the difference between you and another equally qualified job seeker.

Whether they are are searching for relevant experience or looking for an easy way to contact you, they should not have to dig through your resume to find what they are looking for. Here are some tips for making it easy for employers to find information on your resume:

- Keywords, keywords, keywords. Most medium and large employers use applicant tracking systems to sift through and find job seekers that meet their needs. Using specific words in your resume will help you get noticed. To know what keywords to use, look carefully through the job posting for hard skills (e.g. computer softwares) and soft skills (e.g. customer service abilities) that the employer is specifically looking for.

- Trash the objective. Employers are not concerned with what you want, but what you can do for them. Instead, make it easy for them to know your skills by presenting a quick summary of qualifications that covers your best skills and experiences. A common title for this section is "Summary of Qualifications".

- Make your dates of employment easy to find. If they need a candidate with at least 10 years of accounting experience, make that information stand out from the text – literally. You can even state in your introduction, “Accounting professional with more than 10 years of experience…” You can also make your employment dates right-justified, which makes the dates stand out among the other text.

- Make accomplishments stand out by bolding them. If you saved your last company money or improved efficiency, be proud and make it stand out! For example, bold the sentence, "Saved more than $50,000 annually by outsourcing customer service operations." These words will pop out at a hiring manager who is looking for proof that you are qualified for the job.

- Make your email easy and professional. Specifically if your resume is in print, employers do not want to send an email to snowbunny97394@email.com. Choose an email that is some variation on your name and has as few numbers as possible so it is easy to transfer correctly into the “To” field of an email. It is also important to present a professional sounding email to match a professional image.

Don’t hide your qualifications in your resume; it will just end up in the trash. Try to look at it through an employer’s eyes. Write down several up-front qualities you would look for if you were the hiring manager for your potential position. Then look at your resume. Do you meet those expectations? If not, perhaps it is time for a resume makeover.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Forbes article - The Companies Hiring The Most Right Now

2010-08-31T09:14:00.002-04:00

Here is a recent article from Forbes Magazine about the midsize companies with the greatest number of job openings listed at the moment. Perficient makes the list at #10.

The Best Companies to Work for - Vol 8

2010-08-23T11:48:00.000-04:00

Article Title: The Best Companies to Work for - Vol 8
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://CareerAlley.com

"I can't complain but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far" - Joe Walsh

It's human nature to complain. Some people are really good at always seeing the positive side of things while others are always thinking that every silver lining has a cloud. Most of us fall smack in the middle. So when was the last time you complained about the company you work for? Would your view of your company change if you were out of work (and a job was available at your company)? We all do it (complain about our companies that is). So what would you change at your company to make it a great place to work? That is a little bit about why the "best companies to work for" are on the list (and many of them show up on the list year after year). So the next time you have something negative to say about your company, think about what would make it better and put it in the suggestion box.

Container Store - Number 36 on the list, the Container Store has been on the Best list for 11 years in a row and while they decreased staff by 9% last year, they are hiring again this year. Their main careers page is mostly a company overview with a number of informational links on the right-hand side (Navigate Your Career) and a link to their Career Center is at the bottom of this list. From the Career Center, you can register, view current job openings, post your resume and keep track of your job submissions. Select "View Positions" to link to search page which is divided by job type (Stores, Distribution Center, Home Office and Customer Solutions). There were lots of new jobs when I checked the site.

Aflac - Ranked 37 and also in their 11th year on the list (down from 26), I'm sure the first thing you think of is the duck from the commercial (and if you haven't seen it I don't know where you've been hiding). This insurer is based in Georgia and has almost 4,400 employees (down from last year). Their career site has a series of career related links on the left hand side of the page with "Search for Job Opportunities" and "College Recruiting center page. From "Search for Job Opportunities" you can create a profile, save searches, manage your job submissions, register and, of course, search jobs.

Scooter Store - Not on the list last year, Scooter is ranked 38 on this year's list. According to their website, Scooter is "America's leading supplier of scooters and power chairs for people with limited mobility". Their careers page is well done, with links at the top of the page for related sites followed by an excellent overview of the company. A careers overview is center page, and you can click on Search Jobs from the top of the page or on the left hand side of the page. You can join the careers site or just search for jobs. There were approximately 60 job opportunities when I checked the page.

TDIndustries - Ranked 39, this company is a construction company and is based in Dallas, Texas. Jobs increased by 7% last year and now stands slightly below 1,600 employees. Their careers page improved quite a bit from last year and has an excellent overview center page. There are links on the left hand side of the page for related topics. Click on “Job Openings” from the left hand side of the page to link to the job search page (last year there was no search function. There were 17 job openings as of mid-January.

Scripps Health - Up from Number 59 on last year's list, Scripps has over 11,000 employees and hired over 1,300 people last year (amazing). Their career site offers information on the company as well as specific information on a number of health care related fields. There are related links on the left hand side of the page as well as "Hot Careers" center page. Click search jobs to link to the log on page, where you can register and post your resume. The bottom left hand side of the page has a “search openings” link. There were over 302 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Recruiting is a Matter of Perspective

2010-08-05T10:38:00.001-04:00

I saw this excellent article on Boolean Black Belt recently and could not agree more. Recruiters need to look at our role through other's perspectives. Recruiting through Social Media is not the end all solution to sourcing. And hiring managers need to know that there are other companies recruiting the same people and that candidates have options.
Recruiting is a Matter of Perspective

Searching for Jobs at the Best Companies to Work For - Vol 4

2010-07-23T07:01:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Searching for Jobs at the Best Companies to Work For - Vol 4
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://CareerAlley.com

"Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit". - Frank Borman

In the "early days" (after the invention of electricity but before Personal Computers), there were all of these "perks" that were available to those lucky enough to find the right employer. I remember one of my early jobs working on the trading floor of a (then) major financial institution in NY (don't worry, they didn't actually let me do any trading) when I learned that there was free breakfast, lunch and snacks for the Traders and everyone working on the trading floor. I thought this was the best thing in the world, how neat was that? Being young, green and naive, what else would you expect? But what is "best" to some is not to others and that is what makes the "best companies" list so interesting. What is the one thing your employer could provide that would make you happy in your job? Is it the ability to telecommute or Gym discounts? Not sure? You can use the "Perk Finder" on Fortune's website to narrow down your best company (or maybe you already know the answer).

NuStar Energy - 21 on the list (up from 44 last year), NuStar is a pipeline operator and refinery (a spin-off of Valero). The career site has some information on the company center page and a link to job openings. From the job openings page, you must click again to get to the real job openings page. You can browse current openings and post your resume to the site. There were 21 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Johnson Financial Group – Based in Wisconsin, this company is a financial services firm with 63 locations. and is ranked 22 on the list (up from 25 last year). Their careers page has a brief summary overview and you must click on Enter Site to get to the main careers page. Once there, click on Search and Apply to create a job search agent and register on the site. You can view all jobs or select based on criteria. There were 15 job opportunities posted when I did a simple search.

Umpqua Bank - Number 23 on this year’s list, Umpqua is a financial services firm (if you've not already guessed). Their main careers page has company information in the center of the page with links to Culture, Perks and Current Openings. Their opportunities page allows registration with resume posting as well as a job search function. Click Search Career Opportunities to use their job search engine. When I checked there were 129 job opportunities across a few states, from junior jobs to senior jobs. Clicking on a job displays the job description and a “submit your application” link.

Goldman Sachs Group - Ranked 24 on this year’s list, Goldman is much in the news and back to earning large profits. Their main career page is pretty impressive. Several tabs at the top for Careers, the Firm, Begin and Search, click Begin to (you guessed it) begin. More tabs on this page, with Key Dates, Unique Positions, Apply Now, Recruiting Events and Summer Intern Toolkit, plan to spend a fair amount of time surfing this site.

Novo Nordisk - A Danish diabetes-treatment company with over 26,000 employees globally and ranked 25 on the list. Their main career page offers information on the company (center page) and a number of job search resources, including Career Paths, Culture, Opportunities and Search Jobs on the left hand side of the page. Click on Search Jobs to link to the page where you can search for job openings, log on or add your profile (and upload your resume). You can also paste your resume and have the search function check for opportunities against your resume. There were 59 opportunities when I checked.

Thousands of Jobs in Technology

2010-07-15T08:42:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Thousands of Jobs in Technology
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://Careeralley.com

“Nobody will ever need more than 640k RAM!” – Bill Gates, 1981

Technology is defined as "the practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area" according to Merriam-Webster's dictionary. So state of the art technology in the early 1970's were floppy disks, LCDs, VCRs and Pong all while we were watching Star Trek (yes, the original) with their "wireless" communicators that was true science fiction. So here we are, 40 years later with our own "communicators" (aka - Smartphones) that make the Star Trek versions look like ancient stone age tools.

Okay, I went off on a tangent. Today's post is all about finding jobs in Technology and yes, there are thousands of them. From Tech companies to Tech search engines, the following links should help you in your search for a new job.

Job Search Boards:

Computerjobs.com - A great place to start if you are looking for a tech job. The site leads with a simple search bos There are several links at the top for Login, Register and Options (job downloads and Recruiter Directory). The right-hand side of the page allows search by popular job locations followed by a specialized search by job skill. Overall, the site is very well done. They’ve managed to get all of the key links for their site on the main page without overcrowding and with easy user interface. There were over 8,400 job opportunities when I checked the site.

TechCareers.com - "IT Jobs, Engineering Jobs and Career Resources for IT and Engineering Professionals" is the tag line for this site. Links at the top of the page for Search Jobs, Post Resume, Articles and Blogs and more. There is a simple search box at the top of the page along with a button for advanced job search. Right hand side of the page lists featured companies. Speaking of technology, you can also download an iPhone app for this site. Center page are links for Career Profiles, Hiring Reports and Job Search Tips. There were over 134,000 job opportunities when I checked the site (this is not a typo).

Dice.com - The Career Hub for Tech Insiders. I'm sure that most of you have heard of this site. A busy site but with lots of great information and links, the main page has tabs at the top for Search Jobs, Career News and Job Showcase. This is followed by a search box on the left hand side of the screen followed by sections for browsing jobs by location or skill set. Featured companies are listed on the right hand side of the page. There were over 69,500 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Technology Companies:

Hewlett-Packard – HP is well known for its printers, computers (number1), medical equipment and recently announced their acquisition of Palm. Their career site has an overview on the left hand side with "Find your Fit" on the right hand side of the page. Links include Search Jobs, Submit your profile and working at HP. There were over 6,700 job opportunities when I checked (seems high, but I did say thousands of jobs).

Apple - iPod, iPhone, iTouch, Mac Computers and of course the new iPad. Apple's career site is everything you would expect from Apple. Crisp, clean and easy. There are a few overview words on the main page, but you can go right to the "Start your search" center right page or top right page. Clicking through, you have a choice of retail jobs (in one of their stores) or a job in Corporate. There were over 1,100 job opportunities in Corporate when I checked the site.

Who's Hiring from the Fortune 1000 - Vol 1

2010-07-12T14:49:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Who's Hiring from the Fortune 1000 - Vol 1
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://Careeralley.com

"Always look on the bright side of life" - Eric Idle

Remember as a kid when every three day holiday weekend the local radio station would countdown the "1000 greatest hits of the (decade, century, millennium, blah blah) "? And you would listen over the weekend, hoping not to miss the number one hit? I remember one weekend where I actually tried to tape the entire thing (sad but true).

Well it's that time again, but these hits are jobs from the Fortune 1000. This is the 3rd time that I've covered jobs from the latest Fortune list of the year, but with this newest list I've decided to start from the bottom and work our way up. Different view, different perspective and it only gets better as we get closer to the top. Remember, applying for a job directly from a company's website has a much better chance of success.

Career Education - Ranked at 1,000, down from 940 last year but still on the list (last one), Career Education is an educational services company. Their careers page has tabs at the top for Employment Listings, Academic Careers, Admissions Careers and Corporate Careers. Center page provides an overview of the company. Click on Employment Listings to see the search engine where you can search by job type or can enter your own information. There were over 100 job opportunities when I checked the site.

MGIC Investment - This company is in the private mortgage insurance business. Their careers page is really hard to find, but once you do (use the link at the start of this paragraph), you will see a center section which provides a company overview and then dives right into the topic. There is an email address for submitting your resume, or click "employment opportunities" to see the job listings.

Sanderson Farms - A food producer and ranked 998, Sanderson's careers site has tabs at the top for Open Positions, Trainee Programs, Students and more. The left hand side of the page has some videos you can watch followed by a section for submitting your resume. Click on Open Positions to see the search engine. You can select a position type or location to see open positions.

Administaff - According to their website, Administaff is "the nation's leading professional employer organization" and is ranked 997 on the list. Their careers page has links on the left hand side of the page for Corporate Opportunities and Resume & Interview Tips. Below this is a box for "Search All Jobs". There are tabs center page for Search Our Careers, Create a Profile and Career Center. There were 601 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Tellabs - 996 on the list, Tellabs has over 3,100 employees and provides products and services to the communications industry. Their Careers page has an overview center page with links to Careers, Events and more on the left hand side of the screen. The right hand side of the screen allows you to select careers by region. Leveraging their job search engine, there were 131 job opportunities when I checked the site.

"Follow the rule candidates" - How you find them, or do you?

2010-06-30T13:52:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Ron Cottick, Author
Author Byline: "Follow the rule candidates" - How you find them, or do you?
Author Website: http://informationexchangegroup.com

“Follow the rule candidates” – How you find them, or do you?

There is this candidate who sees your job posted and is asked to apply directly online for the position. The profile information they provide, their cover letter if they have one and their resume end up in your database and flagged as an applicant to your position. This could happen in a corporate or non-corporate scenario.

You may get an email alert that you have an applicant, maybe not. In my corporate recruiting experience I did not. I had to go looking for any applicants who applied. It was also a user un-friendly experience that took more time for me to do than me just going out and finding candidates myself through other means. Not the candidates fault but the fault of a feature rich database system that was so feature rich it created more work to utilize it than the advantage of having it.

Ever been there where the best tools provided to you were sold to your management on how good they were but in real world practice they forgot to KIS (Did you see that coming?) And, could it be that management maybe a little out of touch with what it takes today to get results?

I had recruiting support when I worked corporate recruiting and I would ask my recruiters if they searched our corporate database. Surprising, almost everyone said they did not. When I asked why, they said that is was so user un-friendly and required so much time to do an effective search that they used other sources and felt they were getting better results. One of the most predominant comments made to me were that the key word search (Boolean or otherwise) parameters were returning weak results and they felt that a lot of good talent was being overlooked. And this was from a high end database that cost big bucks. Let’s see now, feature rich, high end, big bucks and low utilization with miserable results.

Another element from the candidate side is the difficulty of applying online and the stigma of doing it. You may have heard comments such as “I never hear back from anyone”, “I never received an email acknowledging receipt of my application”, “I was required to enter too much personal non-relevant information”, etc. Candidates are not always interested in satisfying EEOC requirements answering those kinds of questions on online applications. Companies seem to want to capture as much information as possible but are inadvertently discouraging candidates from doing online applications.

How does that happen? Well I get back to KIS. I believe that some of the designers of said systems lose site of the practicality of use in the real world. When this happens you get loss of efficiency in a system that was supposed to promote efficiency. The mind set is also to capture all sorts of information for tracking purposes, satisfy requirements, etc, etc. To me, the good out of this could be that is we are forced more into a proactive mode than a reactive mode. Being proactive will sharpen the search skills, push us into new technique and push us to seek out the best of the best who may not apply for positions online. Social networking is an excellent example. If corporate databases worked well, and some may, you could effectively cover both the reactive and proactive environments and enhance the results.

One’s ability to focus on the need, effectively use the tools provided to them, keep their eye on the ball and cut through the fluff trying to KIS, I believe, will result in a greater outcome. I also believe working the reactive side of the equation will result in finding the best “Follow the rule candidates” and working the proactive side will result in finding the best “outside the rule” candidates. Proactive, reactive, can you think of a better integrated candidate pool to swim in?

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

It's still about the jobs

2010-06-07T09:01:00.002-04:00

Friday's stock market slaughter came at the hands of the disappointing jobs report. It seems that any time we start to get encouraged we forget that we have many jobs to replace and until that happens, our economy will struggle. And if European debt continues to rise like here in the U.S., all we need is for China to call in their debt for us to go to war yet again.

From Mired to Hired: Another Guerrilla Job Search Success

2010-05-08T08:00:00.001-04:00

Article Title: From Mired to Hired: Another Guerrilla Job Search Success
Author Byline: Kevin Donlin
Author Website: http://fafea0qa42ea7wdakjjj3vcr9f.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=BLG121809

You might think there's never been a worse time to look for work in the traditional job market, with unemployment at 10.4% and no relief in sight.

But you would be only half right.

While there's never been a worse time for traditional job-search methods, "Guerrilla" job hunters are enjoying consistent success -- even in today's awful economy.

Why?

Because Guerrillas choose not to participate in the recession.

To illustrate, here's a recent story from our client files: Steve Cobain, from Pittsburgh, Penn.

Cobain was laid off as a financial services executive in December 2008, after which, he followed the standard advice given by a well-known outplacement firm. "They introduced me to the 'new age' of job search, which was mainly Internet-based. It focused on getting a resume out, playing a numbers game, going through advertised positions. And it was a very frustrating process," he says.

How frustrating?

"In nine months, I looked on all the employment web sites, responded to 400 advertised openings and sent out about 1,500 resumes by email," says Cobain. "That produced four job interviews and no offers."

Frustrating, yes. And all too-common. Repeat after me: If you do what everyone else is doing to look for work, you'll get results like everyone else is getting.

And everyone else is taking 29.7 weeks -- about 7 months -- to find a job, according to February 2010 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks the average length of unemployment.

So, Cobain changed his job-search strategy and decided to "go Guerrilla" in December 2009, one year after being displaced.

He did five things differently. And he got six job offers in only six weeks. He's now working again.

Want to know what he did?

1) Write a job shopping list

Most people take the "blind archery" approach to job hunting: They think, if they respond to enough postings and fire off enough resumes, they'll hit the target eventually.

That's what Cobain was taught in outplacement. But 1,500 resumes later, he had nothing to show for it.

Guerrillas know better. They create a targeted list of 10-20 employers, then go after them systematically.

What, you say? Your ideal employer isn't hiring? Doesn't matter.

Because the one-word antidote to a hiring freeze is "attrition."

Guerrillas know that companies lose workers every day, week, or month, through resignations, death, or layoffs. By focusing their efforts on a shortlist of employers, Guerrillas contact hiring managers enough times to stay top of mind until a position opens up or is created for them.

2) Create a Guerrilla Resume

Ordinary black-and-white resumes, no matter how well-written, get ordinary results.

Guerrilla Resumes, using color graphics and logos, along with short quotes from past clients or managers, get extraordinary results, as Cobain found.

"Virtually everybody commented on the creativity of the Guerrilla Resume," he says. "I had several people tell me that, instead of the position I was interviewing for, they should hire me into their marketing or PR group."

3) Tell your network how to help

Guerrillas know that people in your network will help you, if tell them exactly what to do.

Cobain got job leads for several weeks after sending a "chain email" to friends and past co-workers that said, in effect, "Here are the 10 employers I want to work for. Who do you know that I should be talking to there? And could you please forward this email to 10 other people?"

4) Get names of hiring managers

Cobain used online tools like LinkedIn and Zoominfo to find the names of executives who could either hire him for an unadvertised position or create one for him.

In most cases, they were VPs or CEOs at his target employers. In no cases where they HR people. Because hiring managers give orders on when and how to create jobs. HR managers only follow those orders.

5) Contact hiring managers, Guerrilla-style

Cobain used the Guerrilla "Coffee Cup Caper" with excellent results.

He inserted his Guerrilla Resume in a coffee cup, wrote a cover letter asking to meet for coffee, then sent all three in a box addressed by name to the hiring manager.

"I had numerous comments congratulating me on the creativity about how my resume arrived," says Cobain. "Several people asked: 'How did you find me? I usually don't get resumes. How did you know I was the person you needed to come to?'"

So, what were the final results?

Cobain's Guerrilla job search produced eight interviews, six offers, and a new job as a VP close to his Pittsburgh home -- in six weeks. He started work on February 22, 2010.

Now, go out and make your own luck.

Kevin Donlin is co-author of Guerrilla Resumes. Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. Author of 3 books, Kevin has been interviewed by The New York Times, USA Today, Fox News, CBS Radio and others.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Who's Hiring from the Fortune 500 - Vol 15

2010-04-13T17:14:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Who's Hiring from the Fortune 500 - Vol 15
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://Careeralley.com

"Money don't get everything it's true. What it don't get I can't use." - from the song "Money" by Barrett Strong and performed by The Beatles

Now I'm not trying to say that business is only about money, but let's face it, business is about money. Number one on the list in 1955 was General Motors and Chrysler was number 6 (how times have changed). The basis for the Fortune 500 list is Gross Revenue (which does not necessarily mean profit), but it is about money.

That being said, companies on the Fortune 500 list are generally the largest and best known companies and if you want to work for a large, well known company this is the place to start. This series is the most popular on CareerAlley and after a brief break, this post picks up where we left off. The companies in today's post range from beverages to financial services to agriculture. There were 589 job opportunities across the companies listed below.

Coca-Cola - Number 73 on this year's list, and there is no need for me to tell you about this company. The world’s largest beverage maker is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia but of course has locations all over the world. The main page of their career site leads with a brief “why you want to work here” mission statement followed by a map of the world where you will need to click where you want to work. The left hand side of the page has links to a company overview, career opportunities and email alerts. The right hand side of the page has a link to Internships in North America (among other links). Click on your location to link to a careers page for your region and click Go to link to a job search tool. As with other company sites, you can register and post your resume. There were 162 job opportunities when I checked the site.

American Express - Known for their Credit Card and Travel Related Services businesses and ranked number 74 on this year's list, American Express' first page to of the career site provides excellent choices regarding company background, career information and what it is like to work at the company. There are tabs at the top for Search Jobs, Working at American Express, Campus Recruiting and more. You must select jobs in the US versus jobs outside the US. There were 146 job opportunities when I checked the site.

DuPont - Ranked at number 75 on the list, Dupont "offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel" according to their website. Their career center page is well done with links to Recruitment, Jobs by Region, Career Paths and University Recruiting center page. You can select Industry from the top left hand side of the page. Click Jobs by Region to search for jobs. You must search by region and by Experienced Hires versus entry level. There were 48 job opportunities when I checked the site.

New York Life Insurance - You guessed it, Life Insurance! NY Life is ranked 76 on the list and also provides Mutual Funds and Investment Annuities (among other things). Their careers page is well organized, with links to Campus Candidates & Recent Grads and Experienced Professionals. The right hand side of the page has links for a company overview, diversity and Search All Jobs. There were 119 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Aetna - Health Care and Insurance Company Aetna was ranked number 77 on this year's list. Their career page (another well done page) has an overview center page followed by sections for Experienced Hires and Students and Recent Grads. There are quite a few related links bottom center page. There are a number of useful links on the left hand side of the page with links to a number of career related links (such as how to apply, student programs and more). There were 114 career opportunities when I checked the site (covered by careerbuilder.com)

H1B Restrictions on Staffing Companies are Bad News

2010-04-01T13:30:00.003-04:00

This report was released in February, but remains an important issue to the IT industry as companies plan to increase IT investment and hence IT jobs. The H1B restrictions for consulting and staffing firms will adversely affect hiring plans and potentially slow our recovery efforts. This is especially true for smaller and younger staffing companies. The fallout from this new policy will be fewer start-up companies and more jobs sent off-shore.

The Best Job Search Sites

2010-03-31T10:41:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Job Search - The Best Job Search Sites - Vol 1
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://Careeralley.com

“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Like many of my posts, today's is about being the best. We've done "the best companies to work for" and numerous other "best" lists. As with most of these lists, much of being rated the best is subject to the person writing the list or the criteria used to "rank" the pool of participants. Likewise, much about being the best you can at any one thing is subject to opinion. What we can say about ourselves which can't be disputed is that we try the best we can, and that is the best we can do (no pun intended). So, as Ralph Waldo Emerson says, above -"Make the Best of Yourself".

With the year drawing to a close, I thought I would make my own "best" list. I did not use any specific criteria other than my own observations about those Job Search Sites which I feel add the most value for their "specialty". Since there are so many great sites out there, I will do this over several posts in the next few weeks. Again, no specific order to my list other than I think they add great value and will help you in your search, whatever that might be.

General Interest Job Advice - These sites offer a broad range of advice and have been my favorites for some time now.

JobMob - The site's motto - "All together now" says it all. The site is about bringing together job seekers with those who have the jobs. The site is filled with tips, events, books, articles and more. To get a feel for what you will experience, take a look at the post "The Best of JobMob in 2009", which provides links to articles on a broad range of job resource topics (way too many to list here). There are a number of ways you can stay connected to JobMob (email, RSS, Twitter, etc.). There are 4 tabs at the top right hand side of the page - Home (main page), Archive, About and Best Of. This site is in my top 10 and it should be in yours as well.

Spin Strategy - Another top 10 blog site for me, the articles are simply amazing. Left hand side of the page tells you what it's all about. There is a free E-Book ("30 Ideas. The Ideas of Successful Job Search."), numerous ways to follow, a link to the website (you must visit this) and a list of recent posts. Right hand side has the top 10 posts, categories and more. Okay, now to the website - Spinstrategy.com - Tools, downloads and a link back to the blog. What more can I say, visit the site.

Job Search Resources - These sites are jam packed with topic specific resources that will help you jump start your search.

The Riley Guide - "Providing free career and employment information since February 1994." is the tag line for this site. Seeing is believing, and you really must visit this site. The left hand side of the page has everything you need to get to the part of the site that best serves your needs. "Navigating the Guide" provides a list of the major sections of the guide. The middle of the site has links to what's new, as well as the links that are on the left hand side of the page. This is then followed by a few comments on the site by career experts. This site contains an amazing number of resources.

QuintCareers.com - "Your Job Search Starts Here" is the tag line for this site. Tons of resources, with the main page jam packed with an amazing amount of information. At the top of the page are links that will guide you to where you need to go (Student, Job Seeker, Career Changer and more). Left side of the page is filled with a long list of links to resources (career toolkit, samples, resumes and so much more). Center page starts with a search bar for job search followed by tools. Right hand side of the page Hot Resources, Free Books and more. You can spend days here getting all of the information you need for your job search.

Lists of Job Search Resources - These sites provide lists of other job search sites and are a great resource for building your list of where to look next.

Employmentwebsites.org - "The Sources of Success" (can't get away from these tag lines!). A list that must be a mile long, you can browse alphabetically or by Industry/Area. There are job sites, search sites, company sites and more. If you search by Industry/Area, the list on the left hand side has the industries (as well as functional job categories) while the right hand side has the area (country, state, etc.). But that is not all, the top of the page has additional links for research, Tips and more.

General Job Listing Sites - This list is provided by job-hunt.org and is another list that will help you make your list. Center page starts the list, which is diverse and not as long as the list mentioned above. However, there is quite a bit on this page as well, with the left hand side of the page listing a very long list of resources (like Getting Started, Career Resources and more).

Employment outlook - U.S. versus India

2010-03-09T08:54:00.002-05:00

As the economy shows signs of a rebound, positive employment numbers will hopefully not be far behind. Employment is still the ultimate benchmark to follow since people without jobs obviously spend less, and so on and so on... According to this report, India, Brazil, Taiwan, Costa Rica, Peru and Australia posted the strongest hiring outlooks. While U.S. employers plan to remain flat in the near future. But in looking at India in particular, IT hiring is strong enough that they are returning to the days of competing for workers and fighting voluntary attrition again. India did not experience the IT job cuts until long after we saw them here in the U.S., and now their recovery is years ahead of us. And based on their business model and major U.S. corporations sending still more work there, I think the only IT jobs we will see returning to that level of demand will be for new technologies and niche skills

6 Great Tips for Improving Your Resume’s Format

2010-03-06T08:39:00.001-05:00

Article Title: 6 Great Tips for Improving Your Resume’s Format
Author Byline: Jessica Holbrook is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, and presenter.
Author Website: http://www.greatresumesfast.com

Your resume format is quite possibly one of the most important points of your resume. I say this because it is the very first thing a recruiter or employer sees. Therefore, it is your first impression and as first impressions go it should be a strong, positive one.

Lousy and hard to read formats will not do you justice. In fact, you will be lucky if your resume gets a second glance never mind an in-depth review. You can pretty much count on it going straight to the trash. In these tough times resumes are weeded out by the hundreds and it only takes one small thing to get your resume sent to the NO pile.

1. Choose a format that is attractive to the eye, something that engages the reader and one that is very easy to read.

2. Choose a font that the hiring manager can actually read. Nothing really fancy but choose something creative and not boring.

3. Create your resume layout in a way that looks structured, and uses up the most space without seeming overcrowded. This isn’t a college term paper so you won’t need 1 inch margins. Try something smaller, the less white space and the more structured your format the better it will seem to the reader.

4. On titles, employment dates, and company names change up the lines so one is bold, the other is italics. The difference will draw attention.

5. Use bullet points, but not too many. Everything in moderation. Try changing it up with a paragraph format then bullets beneath it.

6. Review samples of professionally written resumes and take clues from them. By all means do not copy them but you will see similarities in style then apply what you like.

If you are not a Microsoft Word whiz, and know absolutely nothing about resume formatting, margins, fonts, bullets, spacing, justifications and more don’t fret, there are professionals out there who do this for a living.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Headhunters and Recruiters Revisited Vol III

2010-02-15T10:54:00.000-05:00

Article Title: Headhunters and Recruiters Revisited Vol III
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

"I get up at seven, yeah, And I go to work at nine. I got no time for livin', Yes, I'm workin' all the time." Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson

So who is your agent? No, I'm not talking about movies, TV or stage, I'm talking about your recruiting agent (and not the US Army, although that's always a thought). Your recruiter, and you should have more than one, is your agent. These are the people who will represent you, help get you into the right companies and help get you interviews for the right job.

Why is this you say? Most recruiters have been in the business for years. They have connections with companies where they have successfully placed people as well as good connections with the people they placed. While they don't have all of the jobs, they do have a significant chunk (and occasionally these jobs are not posted elsewhere). I work with recruiters all of the time and have been on both sides of the job market (hiring and looking to be employed). The good ones are really good at selling you as a candidate. Are you the only candidate they are sending to any one job? The answer is a big NO, but once your resume is submitted it is really up to your background, the quality of your resume and your ability to sell yourself for the job.

Today's post is a listing of recruiters. You should work with more than one (but not hundreds). Find the recruiters that either specialize in your industry or recruit for companies that interest you.

Alden & Associates, Inc. – This firm specializes in executive recruiting for Higher Education. Although located in Massachusetts, prior searches cover many locations (which is true for many recruiters). Clicking on Exective Search will take you to a page that shows their current searches as well as targeted searches for Athletic Administrators, Senior Administrators and Head Coaches. Applying for a specific position will bring up a screen to enter the appropriate information. If you don’t see specific positions to apply to, forward your resume (with a cover letter).

Edgelink – Specializing in direct hire and contract staffing for Technology, Edgelink’s site has a number of resources for the job seeker. There is a blog (link is at the top right-hand side of the page) and there is a link to “About Edgelink” which has links to a number of resources. Clicking on “For Candidates” will open a page that allows a search of current assignments, “submit resume” and candidate login. As with all of these sites, best bet is to search jobs first and apply if appropriate, otherwise use the “submit resume” link.

Butterfass, Pepe & MacCallan – This firm specializes in Financial Services, the hardest hit industry (so far) in the current recession. Main page offers information on the company, services offered, industry links and “submit resume”. You can also forward your resume via em from the contact page (although I would recommend the “submit resume” function).

Medical Executive Search Associates, Inc (MESA) – Based in Arizona, MESA has been in business for over 20 years and specializes in the Medical Industry. Click on “Candidates” from the main page, fill out the form (don’t forget to click the “send your resume” link on the right-hand side of the form). Although the first page has key contact information, there is no indication of previous placements on the website.

Leathwaite International - Leathwaite is an executive search firm that covers a broad range of professions (corporate services, finance, HR, Internal Audit, etc.), sectors (Asset Management, Investment Banking, etc.) and countries. Their website is a little strange, but click on Contact Us to get their address and telephone number.

Abacus Group - The Abacus Group is a professional recruiting firm. Their main page has several tabs across the top (About Us, Candidates, Current Positions, etc.). You can take a look at their current positions, search by temporary/permanent and submit a resume. Their search results page allows sorting by each column. The candidates page provides detail on the services provided, a link to their current positions and a list of the industries they cover.

BAMM Inc. - BAMM is a professional staffing company that focuses on the Information Technology, Engineering, Financial, and Medical Fields. Clicking on the "Careers" tab takes you to a page where you can search for current openings. You can apply directly (if you find a match) or register for their site.

Crist/Kolder Associates - Crist/Kolder focuses on "c-level" positions. From their main page you can follow the links to their team, their approach and the industries they cover. Clicking on "Contact Us" provides several methods for getting in touch with them (mail, email and phone).

Michigan Unemployment rate falls

2010-01-20T18:25:00.002-05:00

Unemployment has dropped in Michigan for the third straight month. We have a looooooong way to go, but maybe we're finally going in the right direction. I dunno, the long term prognosis still requires some redefinition of our overall industry. Otherwise the only reason unemployment will fall to "acceptable" levels will be because people are leaving the State in general.

Who is Hiring from the Fortune 500 Vol VII

2010-01-05T06:52:00.000-05:00

Article Title: Who is Hiring from the Fortune 500 Vol VII
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

"My son is now an 'entrepreneur.' That's what you're called when you don't have a job." - Ted Turner

Okay, so I've taken for granted that everyone knows what the Fortune 500 is, so just to clarify I thought I would give a brief definition. According to Wikipedia, the Fortune 500 is "an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and privately-held companies for which revenues are publicly available. The first Fortune 500 list was published in 1955."

Just to be clear, these companies are ranked by revenue and, for those non-financial people among us, that does not always mean profit. This year's list has changed quite a bit (mostly in financial services) due to mergers and failures. That being said, the Fortune 500 is typically representative of some of the best (and largest) companies in the US. What better place to focus your job search? As an example, the companies listed in this post collectively have well over 1,000 career opportunities globally.

Wellpoint - The largest health insurer in the US, Wellpoint is ranked 32 on the list. Their career page has a number of links at the top for Your Area of Talent, Search Jobs, Recruiting Events and more. The center of the page has a job search section where you can search with a number of filters. To the right of this is a listing of Hot Opportunities (you can click on any of these opportunities to see the detail). You can also click on the advanced search function. Once you've clicked through to the job search section, you can see a number of additional links on the left hand side of the page for a number of functional areas. Click on the functional area of your choice to get an overview page. At the bottom of the overview page is a link to job opportunities specific to that function. There were 162 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Dell - The computer retailing giant has global presence and is ranked 33 on the list. From the main career page, select your country to access the career opportunities page. This page lists quite a few options down the left-hand side (Job Search, Event Calendar, Student Programs and a number of informational links). Click on "Job Search" to submit your resume, create your profile, register and conduct a job search for your country. Their advanced search function provides a large number of options for narrowing your search. Searching on the US yields 385 job opportunities.

Boeing – Ranked at 34 on this year’s list, Boeing covers a broad range of products within aerospace and their career opportunities are fairly broad. Their stock price has seen some bad times lately with the delay in their latest aircraft, but should hopefully pick-up as they deliver. Their careers page leads with a good company overview and why you would want to work there, followed by a quick link to their job search section. The left hand side of the page has additional employment links (including Job Search, Featured Job Opportunities, Recruiting Events and more). Moving right to Job Search, there were 286 job opportunities when I checked the site, covering a broad range of job functions and locations. Their featured jobs link provides some additional focus and, like most companies these days, you can register and upload your resume.

Microsoft – Everyone knows this software giant who ranked 35 on the list. From the careers page, select your location from the center of the page. On the left-hand side you will find additional links for locations as well. Select your location and link to MS’ robust career search page. You can register from the center of the page or select from a wide range of choices on the left hand side (Career Paths, Search Jobs, Create Job Agent, International Jobs and submit your resume). There were over 100 job opportunities when I checked the site (the site only shows 100 jobs at a time).

Walgreen - A retail drugstore, Walgreen ranked 36 this year. Their careers page is well organized, listing each major type of functional career path at the company (such as Pharmacy, Corporate, Technology, etc.). Click on any of these to view a page specific to that function along with job opportunities. It is not easy to find the job search function that searches across the entire company, so I've listed it here for your use ==>> Walgreen Career Search. There were 135 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Who's Hiring from the Fastest Growing Companies 2009

2009-12-22T09:08:00.000-05:00

Article Title: Who's Hiring from the Fastest Growing Companies 2009 Vol 2
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

"Fast company, fast company, you're goin' nowhere, you're goin' nowhere fast" - Don Henley & Glenn Frey

Did you ever wonder what it must be like to be on the "ground floor" of the next best thing? Imagine having been one of the first 100 employees of Microsoft, Apple, Google or even GE? That's part of what the Fastest Growing Companies is all about. While not all of these companies are start-ups (some are well established like RIM), some of these companies are the next best thing and those that work for them are in on the "ground floor".

That being said, there are some companies that start out as the next best thing and then lose the plot. One example is Blockbuster which started out as the leader in video rentals and then sat by and watched NetFlix pave the way for a new business model. Will Blockbuster survive? We will have to wait and see.

While I'm reviewing the Fastest Growing Companies in sequential order, I will skip those that either don't have a careers site or don't post jobs on their career site. After all, this blog is about finding a job, not just reviewing companies (unless they have something to offer on the job market side). So, you should also take a look at the full list when you get a chance (Fastest Growing Companies). Now on to today's companies which cover manufacturing, coffee roasting, fertilizer, magnetic technology and commodities exchages.

CF Industries Holdings - Ranked at number 6, CF (according to their website) "is one of North America’s largest manufacturers and distributors of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer products". Their careers page is fairly basic, giving an overview of the company, functional career types and benefits. There is a "Please click here" link to lead to their career opportunities. The linked page lists all job opportunities. Click on any opportunity to see a full description. The page also provides snail mail and email information. There was one job opportunity when I checked the page.

Bruker - This company manufactures X-ray systems and magnetic technology and is ranked at number 9. Their careers page lists job links for each department. The links for each department are available on both the left hand side of the page as well as in the center of the page. There is no one place to look for job opportunities, you must click each department and follow through to your region to see jobs available.

Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan - Ranked at number 10, Potash is the world's biggest fertilizer maker. Their careers page has links on the left for Career Opportunities, Career Builder (upload you resume, fill out an application, create alerts, etc.) and other information on the company. The center of the page has a company overview, followed by a link for current opportunities. The opportunities page lists each job opening - click on any job to see the detail. There were four job opportunities when I visited the site.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters - As you might expect, this company is a coffee roaster. Ranked at #11, there careers page has links on the left hand side of the page for benefits and locations. The center of the page has "hot new openings", followed by a simple job search engine. You can also register on the site and create job search agents. There were 57 job opportunities when I checked the site.

IntercontinentalExchange - Known as ICE, Intercontinental is ranked 12 and runs commodities futures exchanges. Their careers page provides a company overview in the center of the page with one link on the right hand side for "View the list of openings". Clicking that link leads to a page listing all of the job opportunities. Click on any opportunity to see the detail on the position. You can post your resume and apply to jobs on line or via snail mail. There were 21 job opportunities when I checked the site.

We're Back Baby!

2009-11-19T08:41:00.003-05:00

OK, not really. But Michigan's unemployment rate fell in October, and that's not normal in these parts lately. We added 22,000 jobs, but our unemployment rate is still six percentage points higher than a year ago. That's a huge number. The stock market is back to fall 2008 levels, and seems to be more stable than it has been in a while. But unemployment numbers need to continue to fall in order for us to see any real difference.

Headhunters and Recruiters Revisited Vol II

2009-11-19T08:37:00.000-05:00

Article Title: Headhunters and Recruiters Revisited Vol II
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

"There is no class so pitiably wretched as that which possesses money and nothing else." - Andrew Carnegie

Pick and choose your recruiters. While you want to ensure you are well represented, you don't want to be over represented. And while the vast majority of recruiters are professional, there are a handful (like everything in life) that are not to be trusted. Ask you friends, family and the usual suspects for a list of respected recruiters. You can also leverage some of the recruiter networks and associations to get a good list. Today's list is meant to supplement what you may already have.

Matrix Executive Search – This recruiter specializes in Finance and Accounting positions. You can preview their open positions, call them directly or send your resume (fax, email or snail mail). It does not look like you can register on their site directly.

Stone Management - Stone Management offers several services. They recruit for both Permanent and Temporary positions as well as Executive Search. They cover a broad range of job functions (Accounting, Finance, Marketing, HR, Internal Audit, Brokerage Ops, Tech Support and many more) Similar to Matrix, you can search the jobs and/or send your resume. However, if you find a specific job that matches your background, you can click on “apply” and (depending on your computer set-up for emails) it will set-up an email referencing the job so that you can add your resume and cover letter.

Winter Wyman – Winter Wyman’s website is more substantial than Matrix’s or Stone’s sites. The job search engine is more sophisticated and the range of job functions is very broad. In addition, they offer advice on interviewing tips, job search advice and much more. Unlike the first two sites mentioned the Winter Wyman site allows users to enter a profile and (I presume) store their resume and other details.

Rice Cohen International – This site covers two distinct services: executive search services and training & consulting. The executive search services has job postings like the others, but the “submit your resume” link is a “forward your resume” not an on-site profile and resume post. The training & consulting services seem to be geared to corporation needs (not individual).

Alden & Associates, Inc. – This firm specializes in executive recruiting for Higher Education. Although located in Massachusetts, prior searches cover many locations (which is true for many recruiters). Clicking on Exective Search will take you to a page that shows their current searches as well as targeted searches for Athletic Administrators, Senior Administrators and Head Coaches. Applying for a specific position will bring up a screen to enter the appropriate information. If you don’t see specific positions to apply to, forward your resume (with a cover letter).

Edgelink – Specializing in direct hire and contract staffing for Technology, Edgelink’s site has a number of resources for the job seeker. There is a blog (link is at the top right-hand side of the page) and there is a link to “About Edgelink” which has links to a number of resources. Clicking on “For Candidates” will open a page that allows a search of current assignments, “submit resume” and candidate login. As with all of these sites, best bet is to search jobs first and apply if appropriate, otherwise use the “submit resume” link.

Butterfass, Pepe & MacCallan – This firm specializes in Financial Services, the hardest hit industry (so far) in the current recession. Main page offers information on the company, services offered, industry links and “submit resume”. You can also forward your resume via em from the contact page (although I would recommend the “submit resume” function).

Medical Executive Search Associates, Inc (MESA) – Based in Arizona, MESA has been in business for over 20 years and specializes in the Medical Industry. Click on “Candidates” from the main page, fill out the form (don’t forget to click the “send your resume” link on the right-hand side of the form). Although the first page has key contact information, there is no indication of previous placements on the website.

Who's Hiring NOW from the Fortune 500 (Vol IV)

2009-10-19T19:16:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Who's Hiring NOW from the Fortune 500 (Vol IV)
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

"Recovering from failure is often easier than building from success." - Michael D. Eisner

When you are looking for a job, it is usually because of some type of failure. Job elimination, bankruptcy, merger, you don't like your job and many more. It doesn't have to be your failure because so many things are outside of your control. But failure it is and now it is time to move on. You learn from your mistakes, lick your wounds and get on to the next best thing. Today's list of Fortune 500 companies are both diverse and interesting - Telecommunications, Health Care and Consumer goods. The good news is that there are thousands of job opportunities (that's right, thousands) across these 5 companies.

Verizon Communications - Listed in 17th place on this year's Fortune 500 list, Verizon's career site includes the following categories: Verizon Corporate, Verizon Business, Verizon Telecom, Verizon Wireless and VSO (which appears to provide all of the infrastructure support to the organization). You can watch a video on the company, go to the student site, or click through to the Career Opportunities section and do a search. Tabs at the top cover off on Career Opportunities, Working Here, Who we are and more. Clicking on Career Opportunities takes you to the search page where you can narrow your search as suits you. The right hand side of the search screen has additional filters for Students. There were 1,364 job opportunities in the US when I checked the site.

Cardinal Health - Drug distribution is the name of the game for Cardinal, which was ranked 18 this year. Their careers site has links on the left hand side of the page for College Students, Customer Service, Pharmacists and more. The center of the page has the same links, but there are some images, descriptions and additional links. There is a large Search for Jobs box on the right hand side of the page, followed by additional links (including contact information for their talent management department). You can search across all jobs by using the Search Box. There were 289 job opportunities when I checked the site.

CVS Caremark - The nations largest drugstore chain, CVS is ranked 19 this year. Their careers page has a simple, clean interface with links on the left hand side for Why CVS, Opportunities, Recruiting events, College Students and Seniors. The middle of the page has a company overview followed by one link for Explore Opportunities. Finally, the right hand side of the page has some additional related links. Clicking on Opportunities leads to a page with a number of choices: Corporate, Retail Pharmacy, Retail Store, Distribution Center and more. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to check all jobs across the company, you must check each category to see the opportunities.

Procter & Gamble - A home products company, P&G was ranked 20 this year. Talk about well known products - Pampers, Charmin, Crest, Tide, Bounty and the list goes on for a long time. Their career site leads with a job search engine. You can login or register on the site. The middle of the page has a short video you can watch/listen to and there are links on the left hand side for Recruiting Blueprint (steps to a successful interview process), Corporate info, Career Advice Center and more. A generic search yielded 641 job opportunities when I checked the site.

UnitedHealth Group - A health insurer (the largest in the US), UnitedHealth was ranked 21 on the list. Their careers page has links at the top for Career Areas (all of the functional areas you may want to work), Search Jobs (by region), Why Work Here (lots of good info), College and Getting Hiried. Click on Search Jobs to lead to a basic search page (there are options at the top for advanced search as well and job matching against your profile). Using a generic search, there were 1,015 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Monster Losing Ground to LinkedIn, CareerBuilder, and Twitter

2009-10-19T08:51:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Monster Losing Ground to LinkedIn, CareerBuilder, and Twitter
Author Byline: Lorraine Russo
Author Website: http://undergroundjobnetwork.com

And this is surprising...why??

From BusinessWeek.com

...For Monster, a publicly traded online job site with $1 billion in sales and 80 million résumés on file, the growing appeal of LinkedIn to recruiters is just one more headache to contend with. Other social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, are also becoming popular destinations for employers. "

"Monster's...share of job listings... has declined from nearly 40% in December 2007 to 34% in May of this year.

Perhaps readers recall a post entitled What Do Job Boards And T-Rex Have In Common? In it, I not only make the case that, while an excellent job search tool in its heyday, Monster (and its competitors), have outlived their usefulness.

As a job seeker, it is VITAL that you have an online presence that IS NOT job board-related. In an era when every company is cutting costs, the big boards are no longer a cost-efficient way to recruit. To wit:

Corporate recruiter Elisa Bannon of US Cellular in Chicago used to spend up to $4 million a year to post jobs and screen resumes through the three heavyweights of online job search—Monster, CareerBuilder, and Yahoo! HotJobs.

But with her 2009 budget slashed to $1 million and 2,500 openings to fill, the wireless carrier's director of talent acquisition ditched the big job boards and instead inked a deal with social networking site LinkedIn. For an annual fee of $60,000, Bannon's team now has access to the network's 42 million members, many of whom are employed—the so-called passive candidates that recruiters covet.

Readers, establishing a profile on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter is a fast (and free) process. If you haven't yet, hustle on over to each of these sites and sign up. Why? Because that's where the recruiters and hiring managers are hanging out. And, continuing to blindly send out resumes is not only a waste of time, it perpetuates the false sense that you are actually doing the right things to get a job.

Consider:

Two recent LinkedIn polls addressed the topic of using Social Sites for recruiting. One poll asked whether respondents plan to use social and professional sites more to recruit - 86% said Yes, 8% said No, and 5% said Unclear.

So, run, do not walk, away from the boards, and go to where the recruiters are. While you're at it, check out Verizon Wireless' Facebook page!

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Who's Hiring at the Fastest Growing Companies - Vol X

2009-09-15T11:42:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Who's Hiring at the Fastest Growing Companies - Vol X
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://Careeralley.com

It's not just the fact that these companies are the fastest growing that should attract you. There are other company attributes you should consider when picking companies on your "I'd like to work there" list (and you should have this list). So what are these attributes? As an example, Huron Consulting Group (see below) is also ranked No. 22 on BusinessWeek’s List of Hot 100 Growth Companies in 2007 and is recognized as one of Consulting Magazine's 10 best consulting firms to work for in 2006. So, in addition to using the career link information provided in this post, do additional research to create your list of "Companies I'd like to work for". You may notice that I've skipped a number this post as one of the companies had no website or any other meaningful information.

Huron Consulting Group - Ranked 43 on this year's list (as well as the highlights listed below), has over 1,500 employees worldwide and has consulting practices in Health & Education, Legal, Financial and Corporate Professional. Their career site has links on the left hand side which provide additional information (such as culture, benefits, clients and more). The right hand side of the page has just two links - Campus/Student Recruits and Experienced Hires. There is also a link to Job Opportunities in the center of the page embedded in the last paragraph. A general search returned over 50 job opportunities across the firm. You can filter your search against location and practice from this page.

Dynamic Materials - This company is "the world’s leading provider of explosion-welded clad metal plates" (sounds dangerous) and is ranked 44. Amazingly, I could not find any careers page on their website. So, besides being on this list, I'm not sure how they actually source their staff requirements. But, rather than just giving up, you can go to their contacts page and fill in the form. You can also go to their home page and use the contact information on the right hand side of the page to contact them.

Gilead Sciences - This company is "a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet need" and is ranked 46 on this year's list. They have about 4,000 employees worldwide. Their careers page has a company overview in the middle of the page with links on the left hand side for Career Opportunities, Culture and US Benefits. Below this section is a link for Internship Opportunities. There were 118 career opportunities when I checked their site.

Iconix Brand Group - So what does Iconix do? Lots, and I'm sure you've heard of many of their brands. Iconix owns a number of fashion and home brands, such as Candies, Bongo, Joe Boxer, Danskin, London Fog and many more. Ranked 47 on this year's list, their careers page is a "Join our Team" page. There is a link to email your resume in the center of the page. Below this are logos for their brand, each of which links to a page with background on that brand.

Gardner Denver - Ranked 48th on the list, Gardner Denver "is a recognized leader providing compressed air and gas, vacuum and fluid transfer technologies to industries throughout the world". Their career site is fairly simple, with an overview of the company followed by a link to career opportunities. Click on Career Opportunities to lead to a list of functional areas within the company. Click on your functional area to see the job opportunities for that function. Below this section are the instructions for applying.

The Most Admired Companies - Who's Hiring Vol VIII

2009-09-10T13:07:00.000-04:00

Article Title: The Most Admired Companies - Who's Hiring Vol VIII
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

Today's list of Most Admired Companies are all in different industries and are all well known to most people. Some are struggling in today's economic environment which is to be expected, but the criteria that got these companies on the Admired list in the first place should help them through tough times and allow them to continue to succeed when times get better. Set your sights high when looking for a new job and take a look at these most admired companies.

Caterpillar - This company is known for industrial and farm heavy equipment and is ranked 35 on this year's list. Their careers page leads with a brief statement on the company followed by background on careers at the company. The top left hand side of the page has links for Job Opportunities, Why Caterpillar, How we Hire and Learning & Development. The center of the page has college internship openings, followed by recent college grad openings (yes, there are jobs for recent grads). Lastly, there is a section on Experienced Professional Positions (and a listing of functional areas). In the right hand side of the page is a link for "Search and apply for a job". Click the link for search and apply to load the job search engine.

Intel - Ranked 36 on this year's list, I first reviewed Intel in my post "Who’s Hiring in Finance?". More than anything else, Intel is know for computer chips. Their careers page is well put together. The left hand side of the page is filled with relevant links (like Job Search, Intern/Grad Opportunities, a Jobs Blog and so much more). The center of the page starts with a brief overview, followed by a quick Jobs Search box (below which are links for advanced search and recent grad/student searches). Bottom center page has a few targeted searches. The right hand side of the page has an enhanced applicant tool with an additional job search link. There were 454 jobs when I checked the site.

Marriott International - Known for Hotels, Casinos and Resorts, Marriott is ranked 37 on the list. Their careers page has tabs on the left hand side of the page for a company overview, Career Paths, Job Search and more. The center of the page has several paragraphs on the company but what you want to do is to click on the big red "search for jobs" link on the left hand side of the page. Once you move to the job search page, there are several links for searching for jobs within the US followed by international opportunities.

Nestlé - Ranked at 38 and a global company based in Switzerland, Nestlé is known for a wide range of food products. Their main career page provides an overview of the company (center page) followed by links for worldwide jobs and jobs in Switzerland. Click on the Worldwide link to view the countries of the world with links to jobs in those countries. On the right hand side of the page find links to Graduate programs. The left hand side of this page has additional links including the ability to register on the site and post your resume. Once you click on your country, a full page of additional resources and links is provided. There were 96 job opportunities in the US when I checked the site.

Sony - Electronics. One word best describes this company which ranked 39 on the list. Their career site is pretty neat. You can move your mouse over the picture to make it interactive. After you've played with that for awhile, you will notice several tabs at the top for Talent at Work, Benefits and more. In the top right hand corner of the page is a Career Opportunities link - click this. Now you should be on the job search page. Click all jobs or search specific jobs. There were 71 job opportunities when I checked the site.

More recruiting firms to consider

2009-09-02T09:44:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Recruiters to the Rescue - Leverage this Resource
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

I've been on most sides of the job hunt - recruiting manager, sought after by recruiters and unemployed due to mergers, divestitures and bankruptcies. In both my job search and my search for hires I've leveraged recruiters. While recruiters may not be able to solve all of your job search needs (there need to be jobs that match your background and you need to get through the interview rounds), they are a key resource in your job search and should not be overlooked. Today's post provides additional recruiter resources for your job hunt.

Advantage Talent - This recruiting firm specializes in financial services and accounting. Their main page gives an overview of the firm with some links to their principal recruiters. Down the left hand side of the page is a list of links (too long to list here) that provides a wealth of resources. Two of the links, Candidates and Job Openings are worth a look. Candidates provides access to an online application while Job Openings allows registration and a view to all job openings. The Management Tab provides bios of key staff as well as contact information.

Global Hire - Global Hire recruits a broad spectrum of job functions. The main page provides an overview of the firm with a tab at the top for "For Job Seekers". Click Contact Us for contact information and the ability to upload your resume in Word format.

Niagara Partners - This firm is also a general recruiting firm in that they recruit a broad range of job functions. Their main page provides an overview of the company with three main sections at the bottom - Potential Employers (not for you), Potential Candidates and Jobs. Click "Contact Us" under the Potential Candidates section to get to contact information. Click Jobs to see a wide range of current job openings (there were in excess of 45 jobs when I checked. There is an "Apply" link at the very bottom of the page to apply for any openings that match your experience.

Recruiting Services Group - RSG provides a full range of services for the job seeker. Their main page has a section on the right hand side for Candidate Services, which includes Career Tools (with links), Career Opportunities, Submit your Resume and "Ask a Recruiter". Click on Career Opportunities to go to their page with career opportunities by discipline. Click on your discipline to see a list of jobs. Each job listing has who to contact to apply for the job at the end of the job description. There is also a submit your resume link from this section of the site.

The Wimberly Group - This firm specializes in Forest Products and Manufacturing. Their main page provides a comprehensive overview of their services. There is a Contact Us tab on the left hand side of the page, use this to forward your resume.

IT staff reductions falling

2009-08-28T08:46:00.003-04:00

From the latest CDW IT Monitor, planned IT staff reductions are falling. In addition, companies surveyed also see continued improvement over the next six months. We are likely still a ways away from IT employment growth. Seems like we've heard this before though.

It's 9am, do you know where your headhunter is?

2009-08-26T13:07:00.001-04:00

Article Title: It's 9am, do you know where your headhunter is?
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

Most headhunters these days are overwhelmed with resumes and underwhelmed with jobs. You can try to call them to find out where they are with your search, but believe me, they will call you when there is even the smallest chance your resume matches an opening. But if you're not listed with every recruiter who can potentially help you then it's time to grow that list (but don't tell them that).

Apple & Associates - Recruiting at its best is their tag line. After the Flash intro, you are lead to their main page with tabs on the top for Job Seekers, Search Jobs, Job Alerts and Hot Jobs. They specialize in a wide range of industries, from medical to financial services to manufacturing. Hot Jobs leads to, well, hot jobs. There were 49 of these when I checked. Click Job Seeker to post your resume, get contact info for sending an email to this firm or checking out a number of other resources.

Aquent - A simple home page, register, search jobs, learn more or find an agent. This firm specializes in graphic design and marketing/branding. You can click on find an agent to see a list of agents and their specialty. Click on any agent to get their background as well as a way to contact them. Click on search jobs where you can find an example of current assignments.

Brooke Street Staffing - This firm, located in White Plains NY, specializes in finance and accounting, marketing, human resources, administrative assistants, office support, customer service, and data entry clerks. They mainly serve their immediate area. You can submit your resume, contact them and look at their products and services. They do both, temporary and permanent placement. I did not see a listing of current job assignments on their site.

Mercury Partners - Straight from their website - "Mercury Partners is a boutique executive search practice dedicated to the specialized recruitment of global front office finance professionals". Top of their page has links to About the Firm, Specializations and Job Search. From Job Search you can register or search jobs along a number of criteria. The contact page provides a web form for contacting them along with telephone numbers and a generic email address. You can search jobs by specialties and there are a number of listings for each job type.

Nauticus Group - This firm specializes in Consulting, Staffing, and Direct Hire services in the areas of Accounting, Finance, and Operations. Their main page has tabs on the left for Job Opportunities, Candidates and Contact us. Click on Job Opportunities to see their current assignment and click on Contact Us to get detailed contact information on their three offices.

Where are the least competive job markets?

2009-08-19T14:36:00.002-04:00

To increase your chances of landing a job, look for one where there is less competition. In this case, here are the least competitive job markets. At least Detroit did not lose any ground in this poll (we're still dead last), which had an average 18 unemployed workers for every open job.

Who's Hiring Now in Energy!

2009-08-17T15:02:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Who's Hiring Now in Energy!
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

Targeted job search by industry / job function seems to be a favorite, so I will continue today with the Energy Industry. I've probably mentioned at least a dozen times that there are many job functions in each industry. As an example, you may be an accountant or a risk manager who specializes in the Energy Industry or is looking to get into a different field in your job function. So don't immediately write-off a field in which you haven't worked, there may just be a job for you.

Energyjobsportal.com - This site is a job search board for the energy industry. The main page has at the top which are for employers. Directly below this is a section called "Find a Job" which allows you to filter your search by company, location or job category. Click "Advanced Search" to broaden the search criteria. There were 183 job opportunities when I check (from systems analyst to engineer).

Utilitiesjobs.com - Another partner of Beyond.com, this site focuses on public utilities and energy jobs. The main page has a simple search engine on the top left hand side of the page with Member Login, Post Resumes and Career Resources directly to the right of the search box. According to the site, there are over 1,000 jobs on the site with 1,071 added in the past 14 days. Post Your Resume and Job Alerts are located on the left hand center side of the page with industry information and articles directly below. To the right of this are recent job listings.

Energy Headhunter - The name says everything. This recruiter seems to cover the full range of jobs. Their website has links on the upper left hand side for The Firm, Our Practice, How We Work, Resumes and Contact Us. Click on Resumes for information regarding how to forward your resume. There is also a snailmail address and telephone number in the Contact Us section if you would rather use one of those methods of contact.

Energy, Petroleum and Gas Industry Jobs - The Job Beat... - This is the mother lode of job search resources for the Energy Industry. Scroll down the page (past the ads) and you will see an amazing number of links to resources (company websites, job search boards, by industry and by region). In the center of these resources is a simple job search engine.

EnergyCentralJobs.com - Another industry focused job search board. There are tabs for Job Search, My Resume and My EC Jobs. You can login or register from the right hand side of the page or use the simple search engine to start looking for a job. Below this is stats on recently posted jobs (982 jobs with 127 posted last week when I checked). Below this is a listing of featured jobs followed by a listing of featured employers.

New Website for Ruby Developers in Michigan

2009-08-12T10:06:00.003-04:00

There is a recently launched site for Ruby developers in Michigan, http://www.rubymi.org. The site serves as a hub for all of the Ruby related activities and events that happen in and around Michigan. Check it out.

Who's Hiring at The Fastest Growing Companies - Vol VII

2009-08-12T09:41:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Who's Hiring at The Fastest Growing Companies - Vol VII
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

Biggest, Best, Most Admired and Fastest - so many lists, so little time. That's what this blog is about, saving you time and letting you focus on those resources that will return the best results with as little effort as possible. The answer is different for everyone, but there is some value in every post for everyone. So on to today's Fastest.

AZZ - Ranked 28 on this year's list, AZZ has been around for some time and is an electrical and industrial products manufacturer based in Texas. Their career site provides a very brief overview of the company with instructions on how to submit a resume on the right hand side. This is followed by a listing of current positions.

Natus Medical - Natus makes medical diagnostics equipment and is ranked 29 on this year's list. It's hard to tell if there is something wrong with their website or the way it views is expected, but whatever the case their career page has a brief explanation of their business followed by each company within Natus presenting their job listings and instructions for contacting the companies.

Hornbeck Offshore Services - Ranked # 30, this company supplies offshore vessels for the oil and gas industry. Their career page describes the different structures within the company with a link at the bottom of the page to the personnel department. At the top of the page is a drop-down list called Careers which offers links to positions and applications. Click the personnel department to link to revel the process for submitting your resume.e

Apple - We've seen Apple on several lists and it's hard to believe that a company of this size could possibly be on the fastest growing companies list, butt there it is at number 31. Their career page has two paths, Apple Pro and Apple Store. A fairly simple page, which has How to Apply and Search Jobs at the top right hand side. You can select your country on the right hand side of the page. Clicking Search Jobs links to a job search engine. You can register for the site or just search. A generic search returned 651 job opportunities in the US when I checked.

Precision Castparts - Ranked number 32, Precision creates parts for many different companies. Their career site has a general overview of the company followed by a few links - Employment Opportunities, Recent Grads & Student Opportunities and Employment Opportunities - UK. Click Employment Opportunities to create an account, create a personal job agent, and see current job opportunities. There were well over 40 opportunities when I checked.

The Best Companies - Who's Hiring - Vol XIX

2009-07-28T10:19:00.000-04:00

Article Title: The Best Companies - Who's Hiring - Vol XIX
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

The Best Companies are hiring (in fact, many companies are hiring) as witnessed by my previous posts on this topic. The competition is steeper and they tend to receive more resumes than other companies (believe me, you do not want to know the volume of resumes they receive). But they will hire someone and it might as well be you (so send that resume and register on their career pages).

Arkansas Children's Hospital - Another health-care company on the list, this one ranked 85 this year. They have over 3,500 employees and hired 155 people last year. Their career page provides a company overview (center section) followed by links for How to Apply, Non-Nursing Positions, Nursing Positions and information on some departments. Left hand side of the page (center left) has additional career links. There were quite a few nursing positions open when I checked (as well as some non-nursing positions).

CH2M HILL - An interesting name for this engineering and construction company ranked 86 on this year's list. They have more than 25,000 employees (over 19,000 in the US) and hired 2,194 people last year (14% job growth). Their careers page is very simple, with a link in the center for "Careers at CH2M HILL". Click this link to see a more comprehensive page with links at the top for Who We Hire, What We Do and a company overview. The right hand side of the page has a large "Search Jobs" section with links for US based opportunies, non-US positions and a link for students/new college grads. There were 111 US based jobs and 115 onUS jobs. The site allows registration and resume posting (as do most companies these days).

Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe - Probably known best by its "first name", Orrick is a Law Firm and is ranked 87 on this year's list. With over 2,300 employees worldwide (over 1,600 in the US), they hired 120 people last year. Their careers page has a number of links left center page for US Law Students & Associates, London Graduate Recruitment, Paris Graduate Recruitment, Lateral Partners & Associates and Legal Assistants & Professional Staff. You will need to check the link/category that applies to your background.

Publix Super Markets - Publix operates over 900 supermarkets and is employee owned. They have over 141,000 employees (that's not a typo), hired over 1,800 people last year and is ranked 88 on this year's list. Their main careers page has tabs at the top for Career Opportunities, How to Apply and Why Publix. Click on Career Opportunities to link to their main search page, which has a number of additional links for a number of job functions (you need to check individually based on your job function).

Herman Miller - Office furniture is the name of the game for this company, ranked 89 on the list, Herman Miller has over 6,200 employees globally (over 5,600 in the US) and hired 389 people last year. Their main careers page has a company overview (with additional informational links on the right). There is a "How to Apply" link at the bottom of the page, click this link to bring up the meat of their careers section with "Search Jobs Now" and "Create Your Profile" (if you want to post your resume) links center page.

The Fastest Growing Companies - Who’s Hiring Vol IV

2009-07-22T10:23:00.000-04:00

Article Title: The Fastest Growing Companies - Who’s Hiring Vol IV
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

More on the fastest growing companies today. By definition, the fastest growing companies should also be those that are hiring the most (in relative terms). There are many advantages to "being in at the ground floor" of a small or relatively unknown company that is viewed to be on the fast track. Many of them are small (and some don't even have a careers page), but it is definitely worth the time and effort to take a look. Don't forget to visit the full list of fastest growing companies where you can click through to see financial information on each company as well.

Hansen Natural - Lucky # 13 on the list, Hansen is a leading marketer of all natural juices, sodas and energy beverages. Amazingly, Hansen does not have a careers page (but don't let that stop you), so you will need to go to their contact page to get the information you need to submit your resume. There is plenty of information on the company on their website or go to their Annual Report to look up the names of individuals to send your resume.

Perini - The first time on this list and ranked 14, Perini is a general contractor and yes, they do have a careers page (sparse as it is). The main careers page provides an overview of the company as well as a list of all of the companies that make up Perini. You can click on any of these companies to link to their job opportunities or key contacts for resumes.

Superior Energy Services - Number 15 on the list (up from 54 last year), Superior is based in Louisiana and is in the Oilfield services business. Their main careers page provides background on the company followed by a Search Jobs function (center bottom of the page). There are a number of links on the top right hand side of the page (including a live chat link) to search jobs, create a job agent and live support. You can register on the site as well. There were 26 job opportunities when I checked their site.

Helmerich & Payne - Up from 29 last year, H&P is ranked 16 on this year's list. The company provides portable rigs for oil producers. Their main careers page provides an overview of the company with "apply online" and "contact us" links. At the top of the page is a careers tab where you can get information on the company's benefits. The Apply Online page has contact information on each of the H&P locations where you can apply directly.

NASDAQ OMX Group - Okay, this looks like a strange name for a company (and they are ranked 17th on the list). According to their website, they are "the world’s largest exchange company with trading, technology and public company service capabilities that reach across six continents". Their careers main page (which is difficult to find), provides an overview on the company with a separate link (on the left hand side of the page for Students). The right hand side of the page has a simple search engine to for job search.

Leveraging Diversity Networks in your Job Search

2009-07-13T13:22:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Leveraging Diversity Networks in your Job Search
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

No matter who you are, there is probably some diversity network that applies to you. As an example: Age diversity (over 40), working mothers, women, Hispanic, Native Americans, etc.). Today's post will focus diversity networks in your job search.

The 100 Best Companies for Working Mother - This list, from WorkingMother.com, provides a list of 100 companies that are great for working mothers. The site lists these companies in alphabetical order and provides background on the methodology as well as a llink to Best in Class. Click on any of the companies to view a summary page on that company (like why it is good for working mothers) as well as a link to the company's website.

50 Best Companies for Latinas - This list for Latinos is provided by Latina Style. The page lists those companies that received Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze status as well as a listing of the Companies of the Year on the right hand side of the page. Click on any of the companies and you will be led directly to their career page. There are other links the top of the page for other lists.

Workforce Diversity Network - This site provides career opportunities for workforce diversity positions. In the middle of the page is a listing of employers along with a list of the jobs they have or a link to their career sites.

DiversityWorking.com - The tag line on this search engine is "Largest Diversity Job Board Online". According to the site, there are over 550,000 active diversity jobs. You can post your resume on this site or just do a search. There is a quick search on the right hand side of the page, followed by a listing of Community Channels. In the center section are Featured Jobs and to the right of this is a listing of Hot Jobs. Click on Search to leverage the advance search engine.

DiversityJobs.com - This is another Diversity Job Search engine. The main page has a very simple interface (what and where). After you enter the basic information, a more detailed job engine is available along with the listing of jobs from your fist search. Clicking on any of the jobs will lead to a full job description and the ability to apply directly for the job.

Where Are The Best Job Markets?

2009-07-09T10:09:00.002-04:00

Here in the Midwest, and Michigan in particular, the job hunting outlook is somewhere worse than bad. The talking heads continue to disagree about the economy, some say we've hit bottom and are starting to rebound. Others talk about that bounce off the bottom that we haven't seen yet, like that's real scientific. And of course there's the school of thought that we don't suck as bad as we did a few months ago, so that's a good thing. But even if the economy starts to grow again and the stock market starts to increase (although the market today is basically at the same level as it was last November after the crash), jobs remains an independent issue. And until we are once again gaining more jobs that we are losing, confidence will remain low and spending will lag.

This new Gallup poll illustrates job gains versus job losses by different regions in the U.S. It claims that here in the Midwest, the worse of the job losses is behind us, and that job gains are actually picking up. Enough so that they offset each other, so the net job numbers breaks even. The South appears to be in the best shape, and has been throughout this recession even with the deteriorated housing and construction market there. The East is showing signs of improvement, but don't even think about the West.

Recently Canned?

2009-06-16T12:46:00.002-04:00

TheCanned.com is a useful, free resource for the unemployed that also takes a lighter approach to being employment challenged. It has information on filing for unemployment, health insurance options, job sites, and related articles and blogs. There is a lot of information available there that is especially useful for folks wondering where to start. And it's kinda fun, check it out.

Employment Outlook Survey for 3rd Quarter

2009-06-10T07:49:00.003-04:00

Manpower recently released their Employment Outlook Survey for 3rd Quarter of 2009 and the net predictions remain negative for Southeast, Michigan, but better in other parts of Michigan and the country. The bulk of companies surveyed still plan no changes meaning no new jobs being created. Possible encouragement comes from most regions surveyed showing fewer companies planning to cut payrolls.

What Do Job Boards And T-Rex Have In Common?

2009-06-04T08:52:00.000-04:00

Article Title: What Do Job Boards And T-Rex Have In Common?
Author Byline: Lorraine Russo
Author Website: http://undergroundjobnetwork.com/

HINT: Think dinosaur.

Excerpts from a Quintessential Careers article:

"Job boards will be gone in 10 years or sooner."

We vote for 'sooner.' Job seekers are becoming much more savvy at finding opportunities outside of the boards. We are all learning how to develop networks and connect directly with the people making the hiring decisions.

"One of the job-board features that initially made them so attractive -- ease of applying for jobs -- has made them a significant nightmare for employers."

There was a time when job boards offered an almost-instantaneous (and convenient) method to connect employers and job seekers...now they have outlived their usefulness to both parties. From the employer's perspective, they are overpriced dinosaurs. And, only 12% of their hires come through the boards, so why do employers continue to pay for the 'privilege' of posting on the boards??

For job seekers, the boards give them the opportunity to apply for jobs that 1,000 other folks have applied for. Only spammers and identify theives seem to like them.

A fall 2008 webinar by Kenexa reported a 500 to 1 chance for a job-seeker to find a job through the big three job boards, Monster, CareerBuilder, and YahooHotJobs. ..today users find more shortcomings than advantages.

As a job seeker, this comes as no surprise. We've said many times here that the job boards are dead---time to stick a fork in 'em. As we noted in an earlier article, it’s no secret that job seekers are fed up with a cumbersome application process that leads no where (or, as we call it, the black hole). They know all too well what happens to their resumes after applying for a job through one of these sites: to infinity…and beyond!! The amount of spam mail they receive is a different story altogether.

Some job boards have become a major turnoff for job-seekers, who claim that every time they click on a page, attempts are made to trick them into agreeing to services, such as loan consolidations.

The problem is that the boards are trying to suck up as much revenue--from any source--before they go completely belly-up. Ginsu knives, anyone??

The stalemate between resume-inundated employers and job-seekers who feel ill-treated online is another reason Web 2.0 recruiting and job search are catching on.

We say it's about time! For more info on 2.0 recruiting, go here or just Google the phrase. Web 2.0 is basically a fancy catch-all name for sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.

Bottom Line: If you are a job seeker reading this post and NOT on any of these sites, hustle on over and sign up. Surveys show that about 1 in 5 employers are using social networks to look for job candidates.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Update on my job search

2009-05-29T10:47:00.003-04:00

I fell victim to the economy a few weeks ago getting laid off from my job. As a Recruiter, if companies are not hiring, they do not need the people like me that do the recruiting. Until the economy shows signs of recovering, companies remain in a holding pattern. But I was pleasantly surprised at how many companies are still talking to candidates like me, and how much people are generally willing to help in any way they can. Networking remains the best way to find a job as the best opportunities are typically not advertised. And with today's technology and tools, there are more ways than ever to start and increase your networking activity to find job leads. Probably too many options to be honest.

I've found in recent weeks that people consistently ask how they can use Twitter to either recruit, or to network to find a job. I'm still at level one in the Twitter world, but here are a few individuals that can help you dive into using Twitter for your job search. Here is How to Find a Job on Twitter, including proactive and reactive activities. Here is a list of suggested Twitter users to follow as part of your job search, and companies hiring on Twitter. There's always Tweet My Resume and Tweet My Jobs where you can blast your resume out to hiring managers and Recruiters, or have new jobs sent to you once they are posted. You can find various companies and recruiters on Twitter that post individual jobs by searching "jobs" with your preferred location, skill set, or whatever (jobs, Michigan, recruiter). Once you start following these people or companies, your network increases. I don't recommend using any one resource for job hunting, just like as a Recruiter I never relied on a single source. But Twitter can be one part of your overall approach and certainly help you learn either who is hiring, or who to network with that can help you along the way.

Image Crisis - What do employer’s expect?

2009-05-29T10:16:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Image Crisis - What do employer’s expect?
Author Byline: Robin Ogden - FiredUP Careers
Author Website: http://www.firedupcareers.com/Interview-lunch-tips.html

In today’s competitive employment world most people are interested in “standing out” from the crowd. But, think again when it comes to the image you present to your prospective employer. What are they looking for? What does their culture support? Will the image you present blend in – or standout, and which is best?

The answer is really “both”. Yet, how can you possibly standout and blend at the same time? And what does that mean when it comes to your “image” anyway? Simple… research! From the employers point of view the fact that you have taken time to research your fit and taken steps to be sure you blend with the culture is what will help you standout. So, how do you make this trick happen?

“How can you possibly standout and blend at the same time?”

Research is the single most important thing you can do before gracing the doorway of your prospective employer. Check their website – what’s the look? Formal, casual or somewhere in-between? Be sure to view the online photos of the top executives- what’s their look? Are they all in suits and ties – or polo shirts and khakis? And if casual, what area? Is it Engineering, IT, Finance? What area will you be interviewing in? Many employer websites these days have a specific area with information to help candidates get to know the environment before they arrive.

But, don’t end your research there. Check the newswire and read articles, view photos. Network and find out what others know about the culture. If local, take a drive to the company and park near the door. See what the people who are coming and going are wearing. If you’ve got a recruiter by all means “ask”. But, also ask if the recruiter has ever met personally with the individuals you’ll be meeting with. Keep in mind that often recruiters have never set foot on the premises, let alone met with the client personally. They may have done all their work via phone conversations.

“The idea behind all this research is – you want to give the employer the “feel” that you already work there.”

Also, if you’re in communication with the Human Resources Professional check on what they believe is appropriate attire and if there are any expectations you should be aware of in advance. What’s the impression this will leave with them? You prepare in advance and pay attention to details. And please, the question is not “What should I wear”? This will sound insecure and nervous nelly. Instead, simply say, “Are there any specifics that you’d like me to plan for in advance? Any particular attire you would suggest or will there be any presentations expected? This will allow for a free-flow of conversation.

The idea behind all this research is – you want give the employer the “feel” that you already work there. If it is a casual organization and people are in jeans and polo’s, you are going to be uncomfortable in a three-piece suit, shiny shoes and tie included. Impressive yes; but remember you want them talking about how well you will fit in and not “He was fine, but the suits got to go”. In other words, don’t leave them talking more about what you wore to the interview than about what a great fit you’ll be. Don’t balk at this – I bet you can probably bring back a memory right now about someone you remember who walked into an interview clearly out of sync with the company.

“This can end your interview before it even gets started.”

Women should remember what would take away a good “blend” too. Low cut shirts, high thin heels, anything extreme or loud (patterns, colors, jewelry). And here is a piece of advice that stands for both men and women; don’t wear any fragrance the day of your interview. You never know whether the person interviewing you has allergies or may just be repelled by the scent. This can end your interview before it even gets started.

So, with all that said – whether you’re interviewing in high tech, or vogue fashion – research, research, research and remember, blend so that who you are will standout.

About the author: Robin Ogden is co-founder of FiredUP Careers (http://www.firedupcareers.com), a career coaching company focused on providing career products and services for professionals who wish to stay aligned with their careers, achieve success and truly dig what they do.

Visit us and get your ‘free’ resume ebook!

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

The Best Companies to Work For - Vol XII

2009-05-19T12:35:00.001-04:00

Article Title: The Best Companies to Work For - Vol XII
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

We continue to work our way through the 2nd half of Fortune's "the 100 Best Companies to Work for", looking for job opportunities. Yes, the unemployment rate continues to rise and we read about new job losses every day. That being said, there are plenty of jobs out there, you just need to be persistent and continue to look.

KPMG - Number 56 on the list, KPMG is a audit, tax and advisory firm. With over 161,000 employees globally, they hired over 1,400 people last year. The main page of their career site is split between Experienced Hires and Campus Hires. Clicking on the Experienced Hires link leads to a career page which includes an overview of the company, how to build a career at the company and job opportunities. Click on "search current openings" to link to the search page. You can add a profile, post your resume and search for jobs. There were thousands of job opportunities when I checked the site.

Novo Nordisk - You may not have heard of this company, which placed 57 on the list (and was not on the list last year). They are a Danish diabetes-treatment company with over 26,000 employees globally. They hired 293 people last year. Their main career page offers information on the company and a number of job search resources, including Career Paths, Culture, Opportunities and Search Jobs. Click on Search Jobs to link to the page where you can search for job openings, log on or add your profile (and upload your resume). You can also paste your resume and have the search function check for opportunities against your resume. There were 107 opportunities when I checked.

PricewaterhouseCoopers - Seems like all of the major accounting firms are in the top 100. PwC ranked 58 (up from 90 last year). They employ approximately 29,500 people and added 583 jobs last year. Their career page is similar to KPMG's, offering Campus Candidates and Experienced Hires links. The Experienced Hire link provides background on the company (the culture, advancing your career and "the profession). Clicking on "find your position" links to the job search functio. There were 198 job opportunities when I checked.

Scripps Health - Number 59 on the list, Scripps has over 10,000 employees and hired over 500 people last year. Their career site offers information on the company as well as specific information on a number of health care related fields. Click search jobs to link to the log on page, where you can register and post your resume. The bottom left hand side of the page has a "search openings" link. There were over 500 job openings when I checked the site.

Top Ten Career Tips - This page, from PwC's career page, offers quite a few tips, resources, videos, job search worksheets and so much more. This is definitly worth a look.

An interesting look at our recession spending habits

2009-05-16T19:26:00.002-04:00

As the economy remains stalled, sales have increased in condoms, wine, chocolate, laxatives, and Spam. No, I'm not going there. The point is that consumers are still spending money, but they are being much more frugal as you would expect in any recession. We're all downgrading and looking for good deals.

Fewer Job Losses a Good Sign

2009-05-08T07:51:00.003-04:00

Well we learned that only 620,000 people lost their jobs last month, down from the 663,000 that lost jobs in March. Hopefully that number will continue to decrease, but it's still a large number. It remains that more people are losing jobs than are finding jobs. Although the mass layoffs seem to be over for the most part, unemployment will continue to rise because of this. Some analysts think we can hit 10% unemployment this year, and that full employment (5%) won't be back until 2013. Right now we just need to stop the unemployment bleeding as that is the root of our diminished consumer confidence and spending.

Recession Causing Hospital IT Funding to Drop

2009-05-04T08:51:00.004-04:00

We've been talking about the struggling economy for a long time now. Every industry is being affected -- automotive, finance, banking, airlines, retail, blah, blah, blah. Healthcare was initially thought to be somewhat immune, but as we see here in Michigan, as people lose their jobs, hence lose their health insurance, there is less money coming into hospitals just like every thing else. This report from the AHA discusses not only how IT has been cut, but that 90% of hospitals are making cutbacks overall.

The Progression of IT

2009-04-17T14:29:00.000-04:00

An interesting look at the progression of information technology. Not sure about accuracy, but it's fun. http://tinyurl.com/dmcetn

Using Twitter as Part of Your Job Search

2009-04-16T08:49:00.003-04:00

As Social Media continues to explode, Twitter has experienced some of the most significant growth in the last year. As users seek to receive constant updates on subjects that interest them, job hunting has obviously increased during this same time. Twitter can be a useful, practically real-time tool to supplement a job hunt. With TweetMyJobs.com, which uses the Twitter platform, users can search jobs for free by signing up for various job channels. Companies can post jobs on the site as well. When a job becomes available on a job channel for which a person has subscribed based on geography and industry, the person instantly receives a text message on his or her cell phone notifying them of the opportunity. In today's job hunting climate, job seekers need to have a balanced approach to networking and resume exposure. Twitter and TweetMyJobs may be another avenue to consider.

After 17 months of this recession, is the end near?

2009-04-03T09:12:00.002-04:00

Seeing as we cannot recognize economic recovery until after we have experienced it, it is difficult to know where we stand today in regards to eventual recovery. Although there have been encouraging signs in recent weeks that the worse might be over, and this article points out some of those positive signs, unemployment is the more important indicator right now. Just one year ago our stock market was healthy, but unemployment was a problem. So even if we see the markets rebound, manufacturing orders increase, and home sales start to grow again, the employment number has to stop bleeding first before real consumer confidence returns.

Financial Hotshots Join the World’s Oldest Profession

2009-03-24T16:02:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Financial Hotshots Join the World’s Oldest Profession
Author Byline: Peter Weddle
Author Website: http://www.weddles.com/WorkStrong

A four star Army general with 28 or more years of experience makes $187,225 a year in salary. They can make a little more—$225/month—not as a bonus, but in combat pay. Our country pays all of its soldiers a small stipend for putting their lives on the line in the nation’s defense.

So, a general is willing to go to work—to spend horribly long hours and face unrelenting pressure—for a paycheck that is one-tenth, one-twentieth or even one-one hundredth of the pay of the wizards at AIG, Citigroup, UBS and other investment firms. A general does his or her job for what financial types consider chump change, yet generals (and colonels and sergeants for that matter) have a far greater impact on the course of human events than even the most senior trader on Wall Street. Or the most experienced banker on Fleet Street. Or any and all of the hedge fund hotshots in Greenwich, Connecticut.

You see, generals (and colonels and sergeants) are responsible for human capital, not financial capital. And despite what the Street walkers in New York or London or leafy Greenwich may think, leading people in defense of the nation is far more difficult and demanding than manipulating puts and shorts and derivatives will ever be. Said another way, Army officers put people in harm’s way to protect the American Dream, not to line their own pockets and put it at risk.

But now the financial community is up in arms because the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that would tax the ill gotten bonuses of AIG executives and traders. Whatever you may think of that strategy, there’s no doubt that, if enacted, it will have a normalizing effect on the compensation of all bankers and brokers. And that outcome, they howl, will lead to a hemorrhage of talent from the financial services industry. They huff and puff that nobody will do the onerous and dirty work of their industry without the porcine pay packages they have come to expect.

What these Streeters are really saying is that the kind of people the financial services industry has sought to attract will work only for money. That’s not true of the many hardworking people down in the ranks, of course, but it is certainly the case for all of the traders and executives who have suckled for years at stratospheric pay levels. These masters and mistresses of the universe are only in it for the cash they are paid.

So, what’s that make them? There’s only one other profession where people work solely for the money they can earn. It’s a talent, I suppose, and it’s also the oldest job title in the world.

Thanks for reading,
Peter
Pay a visit to CareerFitness.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

How to Stop Worrying About Your Job Search

2009-03-16T08:30:00.001-04:00

Article Title: How to Stop Worrying About Your Job Search
Author Byline: Kevin Donlin
Author Website: http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php

Want to put an end to your job-search worries?

You can.

Or at least, you can channel worries into positive action that moves you closer to employment every day. That's a message I got from the book, "100 Ways to Motivate Yourself," by Steve Chandler, who writes: "The next time you're worried about something, ask yourself, 'What small thing can I do right now?' Then do it. Remember not to ask, "What could I possibly do to make this whole thing go away?" That question does not get you into action at all."

There are two important implications here:

1. One small action is more productive than any amount of worry, and

2. Trying to solve all your job search problems in one fell swoop can paralyze you with confusion.

Let's tackle the second one first.

No matter who you are, you'll almost never go from unemployed to hired in one day, just as you can't lose 50 lbs. in a week or master French in an afternoon.

Heck, even Barry Bonds has been out of work for over a year, despite his Hall-of-Fame resume.

So stop tearing your hair out. You probably won't get hired from one action, but many. It may take a week, or several months, but the job you seek is out there and you will get it after you've taken enough of the right actions.

With that said, here are three ways you can stop worrying about your job search by taking small, positive actions today, each of which requires only 15 minutes ...

1) Call one person

We all know someone well-connected to potential job leads, with whom we haven't spoken in months or years. Pick one person and call them today, just to say hello.

Be sure to do one thing: Ask, "What would help you do your job better these days?" Then write their reply down.

After you hang up, brainstorm ways to help your friend do his/her job. You can ask other people in your network or Google for ideas. Keep going until you find at least one promising idea. You will then have an excuse to call your friend back tomorrow.

This will do two things: jump-start a dormant relationship and put you top of mind with a well-connected friend, both of which will make them more likely to send you employment leads.

2) Research one ideal employer

Have you ever submitted a resume to a blind ad online or in the newspaper, one that told you nothing about the company? And how did that work out?

By contrast, the more you know about an employer, the clearer your path to employment will become. It could be that a manager there went to the same school as you, or you go to the same church as the CIO, or they sell to a client you used to work for.

There are literally thousands of ways to make a connection with your next boss and stand out from ordinary job seekers. But you'll never know until you research the 10-20 companies you want to work for.

Why not pick one employer today and spend 15 minutes learning all you can about their employees, corporate culture, clients, problems, and opportunities?

Then try to make a connection based on your experience, education, and network of contacts.

3) Write down five scary interview questions

What's the last question on earth you want to be asked in a job interview?

Is it, "Why did you leave your last position?" Or, "What are your salary requirements?" Or, the dreaded, "What's your biggest weakness?" Whatever questions scare you, write them down.

Something magical happens when you write a problem on paper. It's like shining a light under the bed to check for monsters -- when you see things clearly, most of the fear factor vanishes.

Also, any interview question that scares you has been asked before. Which means there's an answer for it. And you can find that answer by searching online, reading a book, or asking a friend who works in HR.

Now. What if I haven't addressed your job-search worries in this article?

No problem. Simply write down whatever is bothering you, whether it's your age, lack of experience, the job market in your city, etc.

Then, spend just 5 minutes doing something about each worry today. Will you solve all your job-search problems in 5 or 15 minutes? No.

Will you be taking action toward solving those problems? Yes. And action dispels worry, just as sunlight dispels fog.

As Steve Chandler writes: "When you find yourself worrying about something, ask yourself the action question, 'What can I do about this right now?' And then do something. Anything. Any small thing."

Prove it for yourself and try it today.

Kevin Donlin is Creator of TheSimpleJobSearch.com. Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. Author of 3 books, Kevin has been interviewed by The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Simple Job Search System, is available at http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Warren Buffett is not exactly a ray of sunshine today

2009-03-09T13:39:00.001-04:00

The economy has "fallen off a cliff"

“The people that behaved well are no doubt going to find themselves taking care of the people who didn’t behave well.”

"The current efforts to help revive the economy are likely to produce inflation that could be worse than what the country suffered through in the late 1970s."

"Unemployment will likely climb a lot higher before the recession is done."

See more of his optimism here.

Spamming the Unemployed

2009-03-05T13:00:00.002-05:00

Being out of work can be stressful enough without idiot spammers now preying on the unemployed. In this one, the spammer sends an email about a job lead, or rejection, only to reward them with a brand new virus. Hit the link for the article. It's OK, really.

Who's Hiring from the "Best Companies" Lists?

2009-02-23T08:27:00.001-05:00

Article Title: Who's Hiring from the "Best Companies" Lists?
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

Time to review some additional company career sites and focus on "direct source" career opportunities. Generally speaking, while all company posted positions found on the Job Boards (or Recruiters) will be found on company's career site, not all opportunities on company career sites will be found on Job Boards (I hope that makes sense). For that reason, you need to review company career sites as a regular part of you job search plan. First up is another resource for researching and creating your company list, followed by some company career sites.

Best Companies - This resource, provided by JobStar.org, provides a "list of lists" of best companies (some of which I've reviewed in the past). This is as good a place as any to start (or continue) your research regarding the best companies to work for.

FedEx - Included on the "America's Most Admired Companies" list, FedEx's career site leads with a tab for Job Search (with a mini video that plays as soon as you launch the page), followed by tabs for My Job Agent, Job Cart, Areas of Talent (a list of the company's departments), Locations and a list of the various FedEx companies. The site also has background information on the company. The Job Search function allows you to paste your resume, against which the search engine will try to align job opportunities. A quick search returned 56 jobs for both FedEx and Kinkos.

Procter and Gamble (P&G) - Included on the "America's Most Admired Companies" list, P&G's career site starts with "Find a Job and Apply" (a good place to start!). The center of the page focuses on company information. There is a time critical note regarding a Diversity Virtual Career fair today from 12pm to 8pm EST (details on the site). The menu selection is on the left-hand side of the page and has Recruiting Blueprint, Corporate Info and Career Advice Center. The Recruiting Blueprint gives an overview of P&G's hiring process. Their site had over 1,000 jobs globally when I checked and you can refine the search not only by location, but also by Experienced Hires, College Grads, Internships and Student Programs. You can register on the site and post your resume.

Google - Included on both the "America's Most Admired Companies" list and the "100 Best Companies to Work for", Google's Jobs page looks very much like what you would expect from Google. A very clean interface and uncluttered main page, you can Browse openings from the center of the page (categorized by locations and departments) or select from Life at Google, Getting into Google and Student Jobs. You can create a jobs cart as well. You must select your country to search for jobs and enter a search word. Searching on Engineer yielded 44 jobs in the US while searching on software (a more generic search) showed 112 jobs.

Definitely leverage the lists provided at the start of this article to launch or enhance your research of companies. It will save time and provide a robust list of some of the best companies to work for.

Good luck in your search.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

The Moody's Job Report

2009-02-18T12:58:00.004-05:00

Moody's released their U.S. employment forecast last week, indicating that recovery is likely not coming until 2010 at the earliest. I guess the question though is what is recovery? When the bleeding stops? When jobs have started to grow once again? Or when the economy rebounds to some predetermined level? This article indicates that the U.S. has already had its worse quarter at the end of 2008, and Michigan is yet to experience its worse quarter in early 2009. But total jobs will not bottom out until the end of 2009. Information Systems is one of the more stable sectors according to this, at least in Michigan, as the worse is behind us and 2009 will remain flat.

This article however suggests a much longer road to recovery, with the economy shrinking and unemployment rising until 2011.

GM to cut 10,000 jobs

2009-02-10T10:59:00.002-05:00

GM will cut another 10,000 salaried jobs. This is double the number speculated yesterday, no buyouts or retirements this time around. Those that survive get a pay cut.

101 (other) things you can do while looking for a job

2009-02-09T14:10:00.003-05:00

Article Title: 101 (other) things you can do while looking for a job
Author Byline: Tim Tyrell-Smith @ Spin Strategy™ - Tools for Intelligent Job Search
Author Website: blog.spinstrategy.com

This one goes under the category called "The Psychology of Search". Why, you ask? Well, believe it or not, having other things on your mind besides job search helps clear your head. It allows you a few distractions so that you can stop checking e-mail every 10 minutes. Is that you?

I also believe very strongly that despite the stress and frustration that comes with an extended job search, there is a positive that must be recognized. I wrote about it early in this blog's life (seven days in). The post was titled "Out of Work? Lucky You". I actually worried in the beginning that readers might see that title as a bit too sarcastic. After all, there is real pain out there in job search land. Homes are lost and family relationships are strained. I get that part.

In the end, though, that post was one of my most popular (in terms of views). And I didn't get any hate mail. So I guess I'm off the hook.

However, the opportunity that is available is so significant that I felt I needed to do a much bigger follow-up list. Last time I offered 25 ideas. This time I will share 101 ideas. OK, I'm kind of cheating because I will include the original 25 to kick things off. But hey, just think, you get 76 more FREE! Isn't that something?

OK. Ready?

1. Walk or drive your kids to school
2. Coach your daughter's soccer team
3. Volunteer at church
4. Take a drive up the coast to visit family
5. Take a class at the local university
6. Give your dog a bath
7. Start a blog
8. Re-assess your priorities in life
9. Create a short term and long-term financial plan
10. Paint your house
11. Transfer VHS family movies to DVD
12. Take to your spouse or significant other to brunch
13. Pull the old guitar out of the attic and serenade someone
14. Research your family tree
15. Organize a family reunion
16. Organize your home filing system
17. Create an estate plan
18. Pursue an entrepreneurial dream
19. Locate an old family friend and write him or her a letter (on paper with a pen)
20. Write a poem
21. Go to the gym (everyday)
22. Cook healthy dinners
23. Go to a museum
24. Re-negotiate your home, life and auto insurance rates
25. Start a family Yahoo! Group
26. Organize your recipe cards
27. Train for a half marathon
28. Learn a foreign language
29. Teach a class at the local community college
30. Pick one person in your network and find them a job
31. Plan a neighborhood block party
32. Put on an elaborate puppet show for your kids (fun, colorful socks work great)
33. Read the Bible
34. Work in your child's classroom
35. Lose 10 pounds
36. Plant a garden
37. Go on long bike rides
38. Sand and re-paint an old piece of furniture
39. Replace all your light bulbs with the "green"kind
40. Recycle everything
41. Join a book club and actually read the assigned books
42. Install baseboards and crown moulding
43. Try painting or carving something
44. Write a thank you note to an inspirational high school or college teacher
45. Meet your local congress person
46. Start a 529 plan for your kids (even if contributions may come slow)
47. Get a physical and depending on your age or gender, key disease screeners
48. Have your kids fingerprinted
49. Walk your dog . . . everyday
50. Write a business plan for a friend
51. Clean out all of your closets and donate the extras to charity
52. Organize a food drive for the local food bank
53. Play handyman (or woman) for an elderly neighbor
54. Order and analyze your credit report
55. Do your own taxes
56. Play chess in the park
57. Make your lawn the envy of the community
58. Be like Clark Griswold and light up your Christmas
59. Make a video interview of yourself so people can see and hear your 100 years from now
60. Go on long hikes and think about what working people are doing right then
61. Plan an economical boys or girls night out (this way you know you can afford it)
62. Clean out your rain gutters
63. Join a free online fantasy sports league
64. Write a patent
65. Catch a matinee - preferably an old western or love story
66. Become an active alumni of your college or greek organization
67. Go to a senior center and read someone the newspaper
68. Set up a Flickr account and organize all your photos
69. Write an e-book and give it away for free
70. Go to the library (a quiet place to get away from the phone)
71. Wash dishes by hand
72. Read a different magazine every day for 30 days (library)
73. Write your goals and, if married, share them with your spouse
74. Bake cookies once a week
75. Use the BBQ (again, once a week)
76. Smile at people you meet
77. Wash your windows
78. Check all your smoke detectors
79. Test for mold in your home
80. Insulate your doors and windows (saves $)
81. Become a Big Brother or Big Sister
82. Build a cool lemonade stand for your kids
83. Frame and hang important family pictures
84. Get new house keys made (before they break)
85. Write a letter to a service person fighting in Iraq
86. Look for five ways to save money around the house
87. Plan a family slumber party (including tents) in the living room
88. Join the board of directors for a local charity
89. Be a phone volunteer for the next NPR station membership drive
90. Sleep in during the week (once a month)
91. Go fishing with an old friend
92. Sell extra "treasure" on eBay
93. Stop smoking. Really.
94. Create an iMovie or a fun slideshow on iPhoto
95. Buy a finch feeder and watch nature for a few minutes each day
96. Have a garage sale
97. See a free play at a local school or park
98. Catch a local little league game (and grab a hot dog and coke to go with it)
99. Smother your family with all the attention they've been missing
100. Go camping or take another inexpensive vacation
101. Take a deep breath and be grateful for everything you have.

Whew! So, what's my point? If you never have another extended break in your career, what will you wish you did during this period?

While you can't do it all - clearly your #1 priority is to be and remain focused on networking yourself into that next job - make sure some of what you do is more nourishing than frustrating.

What did I miss?

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Whatever you do, DO NOT accept a job offer...

2009-02-06T08:28:00.000-05:00

Article Title: Whatever you do, DO NOT accept a job offer...
Author Byline: Grace Kutney
Author Website: http://sweetcareers.blogspot.com

Whatever you do, DO NOT accept a job offer unless you're certain it's a job you really want. Once you've accepted the offer, remove your application from other searches.

As much as possible, try to get the hiring time frame from each organization to which you apply. That is, after you submit an application, ask when the organization expects to conduct interviews. After you interview, ask when they expect to make a decision. This way, you have a better sense of how much time you have to make a decision should an offer be made.

Let's say you interview with Organization A, realize you really want the job, and are told they will have a decision in two weeks. Then you interview with Organization B, are reasonably interested, but would still prefer Organization A. Org. B offers you a position immediately. You know you won't hear from Org. A for at least two weeks, so you can request that Org. B give you two weeks to give them a decision. Or, if two weeks is too long, you can let Org. A know that you are really interested in their position, but have another offer on the table so you wonder if they might be able to give you a decision any sooner than the original two weeks. Of course, each organization is free to say yes or no to your requests, but at least you're equipped with tools that will help you, and the organizations to which you apply, make wise decisions.

Do not accept a job with the intent of sticking around for a month or two until some better offer comes around - in my humble opinion, that's not only unprofessional, it's downright selfish, not to mention potentially career-ending.

If you accept a position that's not exactly related to your field or for which you are overqualified, look for ways to learn from the experience AND to give back to the organization. When appropriate, (and only after you've mastered the job for which you were hired), seek higher levels of responsibility within the organization.

Remember, your career aspirations are important, but your career is only as good as your integrity and your reputation.

About the author: Career development professional with 10 years of experience in career advising. Specializes in working with undergraduate students with little-to-no work experience. Special interests include: international students, immigrant populations, parents transitioning back into the workforce, faith in the workplace, and Christian career counseling. Grace's site, Sweet Careers, provides tips, advice, videos, and tutorials to help job seekers find meaningful careers.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Unemployment up in every State

2009-01-28T09:19:00.002-05:00

I don't remember seeing this ever before. It's probably happened but it's been a long time. The additional recent layoffs, all in large numbers, and the trickle down effect it has on other industries, is crippling. Every industry in every sector seems to be shrinking right now. And from what I'm seeing recently, people seem to be in the Anger stage of this emotional cycle.

IT Employment Continues to Drop

2009-01-22T08:28:00.003-05:00

In the latest report from the National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses (NACCB), IT employment continued to drop at the end of 2008, but remained ahead of overall employment numbers. No surprise there, but I was a little surprised to see that IT employment was up year over year for 2008. And yesterday on Wall Street the tech sector looked promising with IBM and Apple reporting strong earnings. Microsoft and Google report today, and the latest unemployment and housing reports come out. So more mixed news is probably on the way.

More IT Companies Making Cuts

2009-01-14T13:09:00.002-05:00

It looks like the Technology sector's resiliency is getting tested early this year. Microsoft, Borland, EMC, Oracle, and Dell are just a few of the technology companies announcing job cuts already this year. It's only January 14th!

Job Hunting Plan of Action

2009-01-08T08:19:00.001-05:00

Article Title: I lost my job, now what?
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

Unfortunately, many people have lost their jobs in recent weeks and months. With the demise of Lehman Brothers (mid-September), Bear Stearns earlier this year, the job reductions implemented at many financial institutions (or announced), and the knock-on impact on other businesses caused by increased joblessness, many people are finding themselves out of work and more job losses are likely to occur in the near term.

Losing your job is incredibly stressful. Our job partly defines who we are and the means by which we live. The stages of emotional change caused by job loss are very similar to the stages of grief when losing a loved one:

1. Denial and Shock
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Guilt
5. Depression
6. Resolution and reorganization

Just about everyone experiences these stages. How long they last is different for everyone, but the sooner you get to resolution the sooner you can move forward with your career search.

What to do first:

1. Apply for unemployment - Not a pleasant first task, but it is important. You’ve paid your taxes and others have benefited by unemployment benefits, now it’s your turn. You may feel that the amount is so small it doesn’t matter, but even $50 dollars per week is more than $0. Additionally, some unemployment offices provide career advice and leads.

2. Resume - If you don’t already have an updated resume, now is the time.

3. Cover Letters - Look at the Resumes post, this may help.

4. Companies you want to work for - Make a list of the companies you want to work for and start applying to their websites (look at the New Location post for tips).

5. Business Social Networks - Look at the last post on this. Once you’ve joined, you should leverage contacts who work for the companies where you may want to work. Sites like LinkedIn will tell you if you know someone who works at one of your target companies (or if you know someone who knows someone).

6. College alumni Associations - Check out your college alumni association as well as your colleges job recruiting center. These can be great resources.

7. Make a Plan - Different things work for different people, but everyone should have a plan. Don’t focus too much time on any one method of job search. It is best to spread your time (every day) across:
* Job Search Sites
* Headhunters/Recruiters
* Company Websites
* Contacts

Your full time job is looking for a job. Stay motivated, look at the prior blogs on this site and leverage all of the resources available on and off the Internet.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Stimulus could create thousands of IT jobs

2009-01-07T09:17:00.003-05:00

The pending government stimulus package is expected to help the IT job market. This article talks at a high level as to what areas of IT are most likely to experience job growth this year. Unfortunately simply saying Health Care, Security, Infrastructure and Alternative Energy keeps it rather vague. Where the article is dead on though is that companies have the open positions, but are waiting on filling the openings. Either because they are waiting on funding approvals, or they are simply too scared to launch any major initiatives until the economy stabilizes.

Job Search New Year’s Resolutions - What’s yours?

2009-01-02T08:12:00.000-05:00

Article Title: Job Search New Year’s Resolutions - What’s yours?
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com

It's the New Year, and none too fast in my view. 2008 has been a painful year for many of us and it will be refreshing to "wipe the slate clean" and start fresh. Looking for a new job can be challenging even in the best of times and the New Year is the perfect time to reassess your approach to finding a new job. Like everything else in life, too many goals (resolutions) will lead to failure, so let's keep the list short and make them count. I've listed a few suggested job search New Years' resolutions to get you started, but you should make a list that works for you.

Review your approach (marketing campaign) - What's worked well and what has not? You should refocus your approach and spend more time on what has worked well (while not abandoning other strategies). As an example, if you've gotten a better response from contacting employers directly, then allocate more time to this activity.

Review and revise your Resume - If you've been looking for a job for any length of time, you've probably already figured out that you either need to revise your resume as you go or have several versions targeted to specific jobs. You should also make sure that your resume includes all of the important key words that will ensure your resume shows up in a search for your industry/profession. Now's the perfect time to revise your resume if you haven't already done so.

Refresh your Network - The New Year is the perfect time to send "Happy New Year" emails or notes to the recruiters you've been working with along with a revised copy of your resume. This reminds them that you are still available and a revised resume may help in the process. The same holds true for the rest of your network. While you might not need to send your resume, just sending the "Happy New Year" note is a great way to stay connected (and it's a nice thing to do as well).

Refresh your Job Boards - While you should be refreshing your resume at the top job boards every week (best online job search sites), the New Year is the perfect time to do this if you haven't been diligent. "New" resume postings are looked at by recruiters and companies first.

A few job board sites for your review (can't have a post without a few links!).

Lycos Classified - Similar to Craigslist, Lycos has classified ads for jobs. While you will want to refine the search. Clicking on the link will list every job on Lycos including "Female Vocalist Searching for Experience Band" which may be what you are looking for, but doesn't work for me. You can refine your search by entering a zip code or city at the top of the page. That still yields over 63,000 jobs for New York, but you can further refine your list by using Job Title, Category, Employee Type, etc. on the left-hand side of the page.

Google Base - Jobs - Where there's online classified advertisements, there's Google. Google also has an online classified tool to use for job search (click the link at the start of this paragraph). Google's is easier to use in that the refinement criteria is at the top of the page. The initial search returns over 2 million jobs, refining for "finance" in zip code 10019 (NY) returns over 6 thousand full time jobs. You can further refine the search by using Google's refinement criteria.

Washington Post Jobs - The Washington Post has a very good job site. Unlike Lycos and Google, you can post your resume. There are tabs at the top for "Find Jobs", "Post Resumes", "My Account", "Get Advice" and much more. A search tool is available on the main page and career events and job advice are easily accessible as well.

The New York Times Jobs - Do you remember the commercials for the NY Times Classified - "I got my job through the New York Times"? The NY Times Jobs site is a partnership with Monster. The main page is cleaner and easier to use than Monster (and does not have all of those annoying ads every few clicks). You can search by keyword, category and location from the main page. You can post your resume and there is an impressive list of resources and advice available through this site.

On the lighter side . . .

Funny Job Interview Stories from Job Seekers - Some funny interview stories from morebusiness.com.

Job seekers fall into three categories. Which one are you?

2008-12-18T08:27:00.002-05:00

Article Title: Job seekers fall into three categories. Which one are you?
Author Byline: Tim Tyrell-Smith @ Spin Strategy™ - Tools for Intelligent Job Search
Author Website: blog.spinstrategy.com

Excuse me, (job seeker), but in which category do you fall?

My experience as a hiring manager, networker and fellow job seeker tells me that there are three categories of job seekers.

So beyond the pure enjoyment of dropping people into neat little boxes, what's the value of this?

First of all, if you are a job seeker, you should know what category you are in so that you can be aware and act accordingly.

Second, others are either already aware of your designation or are getting hints from you that send key signals about your categorization. These signals can also affect your ability to get interviews, and ultimately, get offers.

Convinced?

Here are the three categories:

1. THE KNOW IT ALL This is a good thing. If you are in this group, you have a very clear idea of what you want to do in your career. You may have always known you were built for accounting in a large corporation or for customer service in a non-profit. It's also possible that you figured this out along the way but have no reservations that you found a true calling. If this is you, consider yourself fortunate. You get to pass GO and collect $200. Your challenge in job search is finding the correct fits, networking your way in and proving your case. Simple. Not without challenges, especially in this economy, but simple.

2. THE KNOWLEDGE SEEKER This is also a good thing. Mostly. If you are in this group, you are highly aware that your current career is not a perfect fit for you. You have struggled a bit (perhaps for a while) because you are acutely aware of this gap between what you love and what you are doing to make money. The smart members of this group are not only aware. They are also proactive in looking for help and guidance. A great place to look? Your friendly neighborhood career coach. As I've said before, I am a big fan of career coaches. But, as I've also said: If you are going to spend money on any career resource (coach, web service, etc), do it early in your search to get off to a great (eyes open) start.

3. THE QUIET QUESTIONER This is not a good thing. If you are in this group you have many of the characteristics of THE KNOWLEDGE SEEKER but are missing the most important one - the seeker part. You are unsure about your career choices and, unfortunately, it shows. It's obvious. When someone asks you at a networking event "what are you looking for?" your answers are vague and unsure. If your answer is "something stable" or "I like sales but could also do marketing" then you are in this category. Let me be clear. You are not making yourself open to a wider variety of jobs by being flexible with your job objective. You are telling people that you don't know. And there are three people who do know standing right behind you. If this is you, all is not lost, but plan on a longer, more windy road to your next job. Unless you are a great actor. And that's a whole different story for another day.

So ...

For the job seeker, as always, I hope this is helpful and drives some additional thinking on your part. Let me know if you have questions!

For the recruiter, which category of job seeker would you most like to recommend for a job with one of your clients?

For the career coach, what's your advice for THE QUIET QUESTIONER?

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Auto rescue still not favored

2008-12-16T10:46:00.002-05:00

Saw this poll in the Washington Post. Most surprising to me is that 60% of those polled did not feel automotive bankruptcies would hurt the economy, and might even help the economy. It's one thing to oppose Government assistance to big businesses, but another to believe that bankrupting one or more of the country's largest manufacturers will not have an adverse effect on the economy. Like everyone, I wish we were not in this situation. But I still believe we need to do something to keep the auto companies alive, which would include strict oversight. I just wish they would have done the same for the $700 billion they happily provided the insurance companies, which as we can see has done nothing to ease the credit markets.

We're in for a Rough Ride

2008-12-12T08:31:00.003-05:00

GM reportedly has hired Bankruptcy advisors and restructuring consultants now that the government loan has failed in the Senate last night. I was really hoping that they would get some assistance, especially in the form of a loan. But this must be for show isn't it? Wouldn't they have done this a long time ago so that they knew what that option would entail? And the result of this is reaching around the globe already as world markets remain skittish. Now the autos are hinging their futures on President Bush using part of the $700 billion in bailout money for them. That should be easy enough as there were no stipulations on that money whatsoever.

And the Fed is paying 0% on short term treasury bonds now? In other words the institutional investment community has absolutely zero confidence that their money is safe anywhere else, and they are willing to basically pay someone to hold their money just so it remains safe. I gotta buy a bigger mattress.

Companies Hiring in Information Technologies

2008-12-05T11:11:00.003-05:00

Now this is certainly welcome news. Rafe Needleman is tracking who is hiring in the IT industry. If he can add some geographic parameters to this spreadsheet it would be helpful, we'll probably see that added shortly. Not a bad place to start if you're looking for IT work.

IT spending will fall in 2009

2008-12-04T15:09:00.005-05:00

Predicting the economy is like predicting the weather. We tune in but we always question what the weatherman says. Now here's an article about how IT will struggle in 2009. This seems more realistic than yesterday's report speculating that IT will grow in Detroit in the 1st quarter of 2009.

Detroit area IT jobs to increase in early 2009

2008-12-03T13:03:00.005-05:00

Information Technologies hiring in the Detroit area is anticipated to increase in the first quarter of 2009 according to the Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report. And networking and infrastructure are leading the way, which makes sense based on the increased demand for virtualization and cloud computing. Not by large amounts, but at least in positive territory. Compare this to recent comments by our leading economists who claim our recently recognized recession will last at least through he first half of 2009, it implies that IT is still seen as a cost-saving investment that can increase operating efficiencies over the long haul. This is good news. I'll be sitting at my desk waiting for the phone to ring with all of those job orders now.

Report on the Current Status of the Auto Industry

2008-11-25T15:35:00.003-05:00

Saw this new report on the current state of the Automotive Industry. Demand has continued to drop this year, but then it dropped at an even faster rate this last quarter. The Big 3 continue to burn through cash reserves as a result, and soon will be below their minimum cash balance allowed. Here are the scenarios spelled out in this report:

Scenarios with Commitment to Federal Assistance by January 2009
1. Federal bridge loan and a GM-Chrysler merger
2. Federal bridge loan and radical restructuring outside of bankruptcy
3. Federal bridge loan and radical restructuring outside of bankruptcy for GM and Ford; Chrysler assets purchased by competitors.

Scenarios without Commitment to Federal Assistance by January 2009
4. Chrysler files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; GM & Ford restructure outside bankruptcy
5. Both GM & Chrysler file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
6. All Detroit 3 file Chapter 11, along with major suppliers

The report also indicates that one or more of the foreign auto makers will probably go away as well. So there's no other knight in shining armor to save Chrysler at this point. It's either GM or bankruptcy. And option #6 is downright scary. Can you imagine how many suppliers would follow the Big 3 off the cliff into bankruptcy? Check out this report, the specific conclusions at the end are dead on.

Beaumont Job Cuts are the Latest

2008-11-24T09:23:00.003-05:00

As numerous industry sectors continue to struggle (autos, banking, airlines, insurance, steel, retail stores...), I thought healthcare would be somewhat insulated by all of this. But now the credit crunch is taking a toll on the ability of healthcare systems to raise investment money. So less capital investment means not only fewer new jobs, but now we are starting to see healthcare job cuts. I guess funeral homes are the only ones left with consistent business.

4 Ways to Get Unstuck in Your Job Search

2008-11-21T10:55:00.000-05:00

Article Title: 4 Ways to Get Unstuck in Your Job Search
Author Byline: Kevin Donlin
Author Website: http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php

If you've been looking for a job for any length of time, you've probably run into roadblocks.

Weeks go by with no job interviews. Employers don't call. And you start to feel … stuck.

Where can you turn for new ideas to get "unstuck" in your job search?

I suggest you try "funnel vision."

As explained to me years ago by marketing master Jay Abraham, funnel vision is the opposite of tunnel vision. It's a way of looking beyond your current situation for new ideas, then adapting them to create breakthroughs.

Funnel vision is how Velcro was invented -- those tiny hooks that hold clothing together were adapted from cockleburr seeds in nature.

Funnel vision is how drive-up windows came to fast-food restaurants -- before McDonald's installed their first one in 1975, drive-up service had
been used at banks since 1928.

To illustrate funnel vision for your job search, I'm going to adapt four ideas from a terrific article on blogging at Typepad.com, called "10 Ways to Find New Blog Topics" (www.typepad.com/tips/blog-topics-tips.html).

See? We're already adapting -- from blogging to job hunting.

Here we go ...

1. Read the comments on career blogs for new ideas

Some of the smartest job search ideas come from ... smart job seekers.

Where can you find them? Oftentimes these people share their success stories by posting helpful comments on blogs that deal with career and job-search topics.

So, to generate new ideas for your job search, check out the comments posted on high-traffic blogs. Many of the most popular are found at this link - http://career.alltop.com.

2. Review your greatest hits

I'll break this idea down into two parts.

First, look back over your career. How did you find out about every job you've had since you left school? Examples: You networked with a professor
in 1988, networked with a neighbor in 1992, answered a want ad in 1994, called a recruiter in 2001, etc.

Now ask yourself: How could I repeat that or do something similar to it?

You may not find as many jobs listed in the Sunday paper today compared to 1994, for example, but what about the online edition of the newspaper? Or what about looking through an industry newsletter or magazine that serves a
narrow niche? Trade publications can be a terrific source of job leads -- call your local library and ask for help finding them.

Second, what did you do and say to get hired for previous jobs? What's the best cover letter you ever sent? What's the best line in your last resume?
The best answer you ever gave in a job interview?

Now ask yourself: How could I repeat those successes in my current job search?

3. Do something different

To get different ideas, you have to start with different thoughts.

Example: How would you get a "job" on American Idol? Send a resume? No, you'd audition. And before your audition, you'd practice like mad.

So, ask yourself this: Where and how could I "audition" for a job? Whom would I have to contact to get an audition? And what skills would I have to practice beforehand?

Approaching your job search as if it were an audition for "American Idol" is just one way to do something different.

How would you get hired for a job as a bus driver? A tennis coach? A senator? A mountain guide in Tibet?

You may be just one different tactic away from your next job. What is it?

4. Invite a guest author to write for you

Ask three or five of the most-successful people you know to send you their resumes and cover letters. What parts can you adapt and use in your own documents?

Your friends will be flattered that you ask. Plus, you'll be doing some "accidental networking" when you send them your revised resume and cover letter to review, which is a nice secondary benefit.

Do you see how powerful a tool funnel vision can be? And there are plenty of other ways for you to get unstuck -- I've adapted only four ideas from the 10 in that article on blogging.

Now, go out and make your own luck!

Kevin Donlin is Creator of TheSimpleJobSearch.com. Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. Author of 3 books, Kevin has been interviewed by The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Simple Job Search System, is available at http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Information Technologies as a cost saver

2008-11-19T09:06:00.002-05:00

Interesting comments from a manager at Dewpoint, that Information Technologies can help us get out of our current, fear-induced, economic slowdown. Most IT projects are known to be a cost saving investment over time, as we have seen more investment in projects such as virtualization, cloud computing, unified communications... But companies need to spend money to save money, and those responsible for approving the funding remain reluctant to pull the trigger. This guy believes that IT will get better and stronger, and I think he's right. I only wish we knew exactly when.

If we can just hang on a few more years

2008-11-12T13:27:00.004-05:00

This prediction states that technology spending will increase next year, but at a slower rate than previously anticipated at less than 1% growth. As you might expect, the U.S. will lag behind emerging markets. But I just don't get a good feeling when they start talking about 2012 as our full recovery target date.

Wondering what will happen with the Autos

2008-11-10T13:06:00.002-05:00

Most of us are just waiting, knowing that something big is going to happen to the automotive industry soon, we just don't know what yet. GM has shelved the Chrysler "merger" talks. Apparently nobody else is in line to but Chrysler either. The question might be who survives long enough to buy the remaining parts of those that fail. Government assistance is inevitable, there are too many precious, remaining U.S. manufacturing jobs at stake. But will it happen this year? Before the Presidential inauguration? Sometime in the first quarter of 2009 before Ford and GM exhaust their remaining billions in capital on hand? And once it finally comes, what (and who) will be left of the auto companies? I saw this article on The Street at the end of last week. Just in the past week we have seen an adverse trickle down affect on non-manufacturing companies making cuts due to the auto industry struggles, including advertising agencies, marketing, and technology companies.

Some Good News Now

2008-10-31T11:23:00.003-04:00

I guess it's not all bad right now. Even though the focus in this market remains on the automotive industry and the GM/Chrysler talks, which are on hold now, there are still companies with good stories to tell with bright futures ahead. HealthMedia was sold earlier this week and the result of this acquisition appears to be nothing but positive. When they talk about growing a company from $23 million to $500 million you have to take notice. And they are not the only company expecting to add IT jobs in coming years.

Will it Never End?

2008-10-31T08:23:00.002-04:00

With the inevitable eradication of Chrysler as we know it, it seems like the hits keep on coming. Compuware announced new lay-offs two days ago, Chrysler Financial is looking to outsource most of its IT work. These direct hits to IT jobs are still nothing compared to the manufacturing jobs already lost, and those still to come.

More Chrysler Cuts Coming

2008-10-24T13:01:00.003-04:00

Chrysler to cut 25% of salaried workers, about 5,000 workers. Buyouts will include new vehicle vouchers, I guess that's one way to clear the cars off the lots. And of course the cuts in overhead and discretionary spending implies that something is close. If you're a salaried Chrysler employee and you get offered a package, how do you say no knowing that if you don't you will probably get the boot eventually anyway?

4 Job-Search Tips From The Street

2008-10-20T10:19:00.000-04:00

Article Title: 4 Job-Search Tips From The Street
Author Byline: Kevin Donlin
Author Website: http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php

The recent bad news from Wall Street may have you worried about the job market.

If so, you're not alone.

You need to do more things right to find employment these days, especially if you're in banking, finance, or a related field.

So, if you suddenly find yourself looking for work, or if your search is taking longer than planned, the following four tips will help, whether your goal is a job on Wall Street or Main Street ...

1) Know Thy Skills
The first thing to do if you're laid off or let go is to recognize that your skills and smarts haven't changed just because your company is going through tough times. That's according to John Benson, Founder & CEO of eFinancialCareers.com.

"Losing a job is traumatic, and it's important to step back and make an assessment of your skills and weaknesses, and examine where you are in your career."

Write this all down on paper, because writing clarifies your thinking. After that, "show your list to a friend or colleague who can be objective enough to challenge your assumptions," advises Benson.

Bonus: Every career-related conversation you have is a networking conversation ... which can turn into a job lead. So choose your confidants carefully for this exercise.

2) Consider All Options
After analyzing your professional skills, it can help to take another look at temporary or contract positions.
While it may be tempting to wait for your ideal job to pop up, it can be faster to find an ideal employer first, then prove yourself in a contract position that leads to a permanent role, according to Jennifer Kleven, Practice Director for Accounting & Finance at the Minneapolis office of recruiting and staffing firm Mergis.

"There are temporary and contract positions in all fields, from entry level and up. I have seen a number of people get their foot in the door and later become managers with employers," she says.

To move up from temp to perm in today's job market, you should offer employers relevant skills, a good attitude and an even better work ethic. "Companies tend not to let people like that go," says Kleven.

3) Differentiate or Dole
Perhaps the biggest mistake job seekers make is a failure to differentiate themselves from the crowd, according to Benson. "Employers want to know that you have thought long and hard about wanting to work for them."
In many cases, the first exposure you have to hiring managers is your cover letter. And sending out a formulaic letter won't help your cause.

"Write a personalized cover letter in which you explain why you are a good match for the company and how you will bring value," says Benson.

This is essential -- get the letter wrong, and many employers won't even look at your resume.

4) Network -- Always and Everywhere
In the end, it's a person who will hire you for the job you want. And people are everywhere. Logically, then, job leads are everywhere, too.

That's why your networking radar must be turned on every moment of every day. Even when commuting. "I've seen people network while riding the bus. It was as simple as asking the other person, 'What do you do?'" says Kleven.
So, the next time you're seated next to a successful-looking person on a train, or in a coffee shop, why not strike up a conversation and ask about their profession?
The worst that can happen is ... nothing. But, if you open enough networking dialogues, you're bound to turn one into an interview later, which can lead to a job.

Tip: Need an excuse to start a networking conversation? Use me! Here's how ...

Walk up to someone you'd like to meet (professionally, of course) and say: "I read an article by Kevin Donlin in (INSERT PUBLICATION NAME HERE). He said you can meet almost anyone just by asking what they do. So, do you mind if I ask you what you do for a living?"

Why not try it and see?

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

IT and the Wall Street Meltdown

2008-10-15T12:43:00.002-04:00

Although Information Technologies has been fairly stable in recent years, with its low unemployment, decent spending levels, and recent overall economic resilience, it appears that the financial crisis on Wall Street will do the obvious and trickle down to IT. Gartner Group is now warning IT Managers of hiring freezes and staff reductions after a previously optimistic outlook. According to this article, cost saving projects such as virtualization and SaaS will remain hot, which makes sense. Another article here, talks about what Gartner considers the hottest technologies for 2009.

Set Yourself Apart with a Job Interview Thank You Letter

2008-10-06T11:02:00.000-04:00

Article Title: Set Yourself Apart with a Job Interview Thank You Letter
Author Byline: Mary White, M.A., SPHR
Author Website: http://www.mobiletechwebsite.com

The best way to distinguish yourself from other job applicants is to follow up your interview with a job interview thank you letter. Employers typically interview a large number of people who have similar qualifications for each open position. After several days of asking people the same questions over and over, interviewers often have a definite case of information overload.

Even though their heads might be spinning after talking to several people about the same job, they still have to face the tough task of deciding which candidate will receive a job offer. It’s pretty easy for most interviews to decide who isn’t qualified for the job. The difficulty comes in when trying to wade through the applications of people who are qualified.

At the conclusion of a long round of interviews, employers usually have two stacks of applications. One of the stacks is full of people they are not interested in for the position. The other stack is full of people who they are interested in considering for the job. Assuming that your application is in the second stack, sending a job interview thank you letter might be just the extra boost that moves you to the top of the callback pile.

Interviewers want to select someone who has the necessary skills, and who really wants the job. If you have the necessary skills and handled the interview well, your application probably made it to the right stack. However, there probably isn’t anything tangible in your application paperwork that lets the employer know how much you really want the job.

Sending a job interview thank you letter is a great way of letting the employer know that you are genuinely interested in the job. Taking the time to sending a job interview thank you letter demonstrates initiative, ambition, and commitment. These are all characteristics that employers desire.

Keep in mind that employers also like to hire people who have effective communication skills. Make sure that the job interview thank you letter you send is well written and attractive in appearance. Proofread your work carefully and have someone else check it for errors too.

You can send a typed job interview thank you or a handwritten one. The best choice depends on many factors about you and about the particular job. There are advantages and disadvantages to each type.

There is a lot to be said for handwritten thank you letters in this age of electronic communication. When an employer receives a handwritten job interview thank you letter, he or she knows that the applicant took the time to write a personalized letter just to them. There is just something special about a handwritten thank you note that people tend to really appreciate.

However, if you have illegible penmanship sending a handwritten job interview thank you letter is not a good choice for you. If you have a severe case of procrastination when it comes to writing thank you letters, you are better of using an electronic version that you can just print and send right away. If your job interview thank you letter gets there too late, the job will probably have already been offered to someone else.

Electronic thank you letters are favored by many applicants because it is easy to update them. You can write your electronic letter once, have it carefully proofed, and use it forever just by making a few minor adjustments each time you print it. You don’t have to worry about a laser printed letter being illegible, assuming you have ink in your printer and use an appropriate font.

However, electronic letters often come across looking and sounding like form letters. Even though most people do not bother to send job interview thank you letters, it is important that the interviewer who receives your letter feels as if it was written just for them.

With a little thought and planning, you can easily create a job interview thank you letter that will help set you apart from the competition. A side effect of interviewing people with similar backgrounds for the same job is that the candidates who have the basic qualifications become hard for the interviewer to distinguish from each other once the interview is over.

The fact that you take the time to send a job interview thank you letter might be just the thing that makes the interviewer pick up the phone and offer the job to you.

About the Author
Mary G. White, M.A., SPHR is the Training Coordinator for for Mobile Technical Institute & MTI Business Solutions, where she specializes in human resources, management, and marketing training. She teaches open enrollment classes for MTI, provides on-site corporate training, and frequently speaks at conferences and association meetings. MTI also provides a variety of consulting services, including IT Training, certification testing, HR consulting, custom database development and website solutions. For career and business development tips, see MTI's blogs, Daily Career Connection and Daily Biz Solutions.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

The GM IT Strategy

2008-10-03T08:01:00.003-04:00

Saw this article earlier this week on General Motors' IT strategy, with the focus on outsourcing non-core activity, and hiring and empowering technical Project Managers. The article implies that GM only hires managers with a strong technical background and some sort of graduate degree. I don't think that's the case across the board though, based on what I see. And the difficulty for employees in this model is the risk of pigeon-holing their careers to be marketable to GM only. Too often I see candidates with extensive experience at GM, or Ford, and they are so entrenched in their business processes and technologies that they are not marketable elsewhere. Hopefully this article rings true and anyone affected by future GM cutbacks will have the business and technology background necessary to be attractive to companies other than GM.

This is what we need

2008-10-01T09:15:00.005-04:00

This is the good stuf that we need more of. Established companies reinvesting in the local market. Caraco is investing in their Detroit facility, adding jobs, and investing in their employees. They recognize that there is a qualified workforce here. I've heard of other companies looking to the Detroit market as the workforce here is available and qualified. Not that these efforts will come close to replacing the automotive manufacturing jobs that have left us, but it is certainly better news than we have had lately.

Chrysler at it again

2008-09-26T09:03:00.004-04:00

Here we go again, another round of layoffs. Different sources quote anywhere from 250-300 salaried workers, and another 450 contractors will be cut. This stemming for Chrysler's statement back in July that they planned to cut 1,000 jobs. Evidently they did not reach that number through early retirements and attrition, so today the balance of those workers will be involuntarily cut.

It's The Economy

2008-09-22T09:42:00.005-04:00

It seem like the IT industry today is going through what the manufacturing sector experienced many years ago. A few decades ago the U.S. was the world's leading industrialized nation, and we couldn't make enough cars, machine tools, semiconductors... As other countries developed, much of that manufacturing base was shifted to foreign manufacturers as global competition increased. Now software services within IT seems to be in that cycle as well as the global economy becomes more diverse.

Look at the progression that the semiconductor industry has made with offshoring. In the 1960's assembly and packaging was sent offshore. In the 1980's they started moving fabrication offshore. In the early 2000's they started sending the actual design work to foreign countries. Software services are now done globally with teams spread around the world. All of this creates a lot of uncertainty in the IT job market today. More troubling though is that this is more of an overall economic issue than something specific to IT right now.

Michigan Jobs Report and IT Spending Report

2008-09-10T08:12:00.005-04:00

Even though technology may be one of the least hard hit sectors in today's economy, that doesn't make it bullet proof either. As other industry sectors suffer, there's a natural fiscal prudence that trickles down to what companies in those suffering industries spend on IT initiatives. As you would expect, IT, like other major expenditures, get scrutinized and scaled back. The projects that are supported are typically those that are proven cost savers for the organizations. Here is an AP article about U.S. and European businesses cutting IT spending in 2008. It states that 43% of large companies in the U.S. and Europe have cut overall IT spending. My cynical mind makes me wonder if that actually means that 57% actually increased spending then. Probably not, as many companies will stand pat I'm sure, but the report did not dive into those details. It did state that they downwardly adjusted IT growth expectations for 2008 overall. Hopefully this means that there is nowhere to go but up for IT spending in 2009.

And this Manpower report talks specifically about Michigan jobs (not just IT). In Michigan, three percent of employers surveyed plan to cut staff in the 4th quarter, while nine percent of employers nationally surveyed plan to add staff. I'm not sure what to make of this as the 4th quarter typically gets slow for many jobs, including IT, at least the latter part of the quarter. But retailers have always added seasonal staff during that time. The bottom line here is that Michigan remains behind in overall jobs growth.

Tech Companies and the Jobs Report

2008-09-08T09:55:00.003-04:00

This is from the Great Lakes IT Report and Associated Press last Friday after the Labor Department released the latest jobs report. Tech companies are better positioned than non-tech firms as umemployment and wages are actually up for the sector.

The Number of IT Jobs Remains Low

2008-09-02T10:29:00.002-04:00

That's new jobs, not overall jobs. It's kind of a supply and demand thing, as the volume of IT jobs remains rather stagnant. That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of people working in IT though. IT is still one of the higher employed job functions right now, but overall unemployment is at a four year high nationally. So if you work in IT and you see the doom and gloom surrounding the jobs reports right now, you probably feel like you should stay put instead of looking at new opportunities. The effect of this is that there are fewer IT jobs coming available as those positions are not turning over. Add that to employers approving fewer jobs overall, including IT, and the result is simply not very many IT jobs to pursue right now. So although the number if IT jobs is down, the number if IT applicants is down as well. As this article mentions, most workers feel this is a bad time to be looking for a good job, and over 90% of workers are still satisfied with their jobs. Reinforcing the theory that the people that are working are not looking to make a change. This will not improve until consumer confidence increases.

Inaccuracy on Resumes is Nothing New

2008-08-22T12:44:00.004-04:00

OK, this article barely touches the surface as there is plenty left open to interpretation. "Discrepant information" can mean lying about a felony or accidentally entering a wrong start date for an old job. Two extremes that should be treated differently. But evidently in India right now this is becoming a problem. The article is correct in that this is not a new problem. But the article is wrong by claiming that globalization is the cause. I think people have been lying about their work experience, education, number of past lovers…you get the idea, for as long as man has been communicating. And this article talks about the high paying business of running a Diploma Mill.

But that’s not my point today. This made me realize how different the hiring process is today versus 5-8 years ago, especially regarding background checks. If you could code Cobol during Y2k, or spell Java during the dot com boom, you could get hired. But today, more employers are verifying candidates work experience, dates, and pay rates, along with criminal records, education, credit and social security numbers. All as a contingency to hiring someone. Companies are hiring outside firms to provide this service. So if someone wants to lie on their resume or application, chances are that it will be discovered and they will not get the job. Or they can be terminated later on once the employer discovers the lie. Remember Wipro? I think most people know this already, and some are up front about any issue that might hinder the hiring process, which is the right thing to do. Because trying to hide something from your future employer is not the right way to start a new job.

Social Networking as a Reference?

2008-08-18T07:57:00.002-04:00

I've always believed that it's a small world within the circles in which we live. Being in IT, here in the Detroit area, you cannot help but come across former colleagues at some point. As a result, you should never burn a bridge, or assume you will not come across a specific individual at some point in the future. As social networking sites gain popularity, which are occasionally used as a source of referencing, that world just gets a little smaller. Some sites feature references or recommendations as part of your profile, but as this article points out, don't assume that those recommendations suffice as an employment reference. Just because you recommend Joe and he recommends you, that doesn't mean that a potential hiring manager will not dig a lot deeper. The article mentions that hiring managers use common online contacts to backdoor reference candidates. The truth is, that practice has been done for years. The hiring manager knows someone that used to work at the same company as you and they make a phone call to see if you work and play well with the other kids. They're not only calling your formal reference to ask those questions. The social networking sites just make it easier as your contacts are out there for people to see.

Careers That Suite Your Social Style

2008-08-11T10:25:00.001-04:00

Article Title: Careers That Suite Your Social Style
Author Byline: Quality Over Quantity
Author Website: http://inovahire.com/blog/career/careers-that-suite-your-social-style

Who you are can, and should, affect your career. That’s right, I said it. Most people can ramble on about what they have done and what they can do but when you ask them who they are, they draw a blank! Now I can’t tell you everything about yourself, but I can help you out with determining your social style and giving you some career choices based on that.

Social Style & Career #1: Analytical

If you are an analytical, you are very organized, rational, precise, and methodical. You break everything down and consider every alternative before making a decision. You are too the point, like facts, prefer choices and don’t enjoy small talk while discussing business.

Best careers for an analytical: Scientists, Financial Analyst, Engineer, Sales

Social Style & Career #2: Amiable

If you are an amiable, you are cooperative, dependable, a good listener and a negotiator. You like to talk and avoid confrontation at all costs. You are a people pleaser.

Best careers for an amiable: Day care, Customer Service Representative, Doctor, Nurse

Social Style & Career #3: Expressive

If you are an expressive, you are enthusiastic, outgoing and creative. You love to talk, like to give advice and tend to be a little dramatic.

Best careers for an expressive: Interior Designer, Marketer, Columnist

Social Style & Career #4: Driver

If you are a driver, you are always in control. You are direct, demanding, and consider yourself superior.

Best careers for a driver: Entrepreneur, CEO, Vice President, Manager, Team Leader

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Not a good day

2008-07-23T15:07:00.002-04:00

Chrysler cutting another 1,000 employees. Ford is making cuts sooner than previously announced. GM sales get beat down by Toyota in 1st half of 2008 as Toyota increases global sales. We've had better days. But we're not the only ones struggling. Airlines, Banking, Finance, Mortgage... many industries are going thru a correction mode in other cities and states.

Social Network Overload

2008-07-23T08:15:00.003-04:00

It was bound to happen. Like anything popular, social networking now has so many variations, it's getting hard to tell which ones are new, established, appropriate, maybe even legal. Some will get you a job, while others will get you on the FBI watch list. It's probably fair to say that I haven't even heard of most of them. And many of the ones I've heard of, I couldn't tell you their purpose or target audience. My teenage daughter probably knows more about some of them, but she's not allowed to have an account on them simply based on what I have seen on their sites. (Of course that doesn't mean she doesn't have an account I don't know about.) I'm on Facebook, but not with a big presence. I don't know what most of those things are on that site, or how it's different from MySpace. Are they all starting to blend together to serve the same purpose? I should probably know this. LinkedIn is still my personal favorite since it's primarily a business networking tool. At least this article shows that I'm not the only one overwhelmed by this trend.
Social Network Overload

An Article on Gen Y Age Discrimination

2008-07-14T08:16:00.002-04:00

Article Title: Gen Y Faces Reverse Age Discrimination: A New Diversity Issue Employers Need to Be Aware Of
Author Byline: Lisa Orrell, Millennial & Generation Relations Expert, Author of "Millennials Incorporated"
Author Website: http://www.TheOrrellGroup.com

As you read this, Millennial (aka Gen Y) Professionals are being actively recruited prior to, and upon, college graduation. Some are already busy navigating the waters of their first professional job since being hired a year or so ago.

And as I write this, well-known companies are hiring me to conduct seminars to educate their HR executives and internal recruiters about attracting and recruiting Millennial Professionals, as well as conduct seminars to educate their Gen X and Boomer employees about managing, motivating and retaining them. So, this isn’t just me saying they are a big deal to the future of our professional workforce; companies all over the U.S. and abroad are starting to see it, too.

But aside from companies clamoring to implement, or improve, their rewards and recognition programs, and scrambling to find unique ways to recruit and retain Millennials, they are also dealing with a new dimension to diversity this generation creates. Many Millennial employees are claiming to be victims of reverse age discrimination.

We all know age discrimination has typically referred to older employees feeling bumped out by younger co-workers. And this is still an on-going issue as reflected in recent high profile lawsuits that involve older employees suing companies like FedEx and The Tropicana Casino. In both cases, older employees claim they were laid-off so that the companies could replace them with younger employees who they could be paid less.

But I personally moderated a panel for the Association for Women in Technology, and the panel was made-up of 5 Millennial women, between 22-26, and they each were employed by large, well-known companies. All the women had Master’s degrees and each panelist came from a different ethnic background.

When I asked them if they felt they had the same opportunities as their male colleagues, they all quickly said that they felt that gender discrimination was a non-issue (from what they had experienced thus far). And they said that their race was not an issue at work. But they ALL said they face age discrimination on a regular basis and that it was very frustrating.

The 100+ audience members (mainly women in leadership positions ranging in age from 30-60) found this to be so interesting. Most Boomer and Gen X women in business have been battling gender discrimination for years. And, on top of that, many Boomer and Gen X women of color have had to also deal with race discrimination in the workplace. So it was a surprise to the audience that these Millennial women felt neither of those things affected them (at this point in their careers). To them, it was all about not getting respect from older employees because of their age.

Several of the panelists went on to say that they were thankful they were entering the business world at a time when so much correspondence is done online, and relationships are forged virtually, because it gives them the opportunity to establish their credibility with colleagues before having to meet them in-person. Each of the women did look young and they felt that was a liability. I was quick to say they wouldn’t feel that way when they were older…they’d be praying to look young again! But all joking aside, I understood what they were saying and respected their frustration.

On a positive side note in terms of diversity, we have a strong generation of young women coming up and a generation where gender and race lines are becoming blurred. A majority of Millennial women were raised to believe they could do anything boys could do and they were just as important and as smart as boys. This is also the first generation where boys and girls hangout together as platonic “buddies” starting from a young age through college. This is also a generation where over 80% answered “Yes” when asked if they were okay with marrying, dating, or having a life partner outside of their race (2007 California Dreamers Survey conducted by New America Media).

After moderating that panel, and speaking to many more Millennials about their experiences with age discrimination, I now really emphasize the importance of respecting them as “people” when I talk to Boomer and Gen X executives in my Managing Millennials Seminar. I let them know this generation expects to be respected from Day One, regardless of their age or experience, and that a key strategy for retaining them is respecting their ideas and encouraging them to offer opinions. This may seem like common sense to you, but I talk to many Millennials whose bosses disregard their ideas and/or rarely ask their opinion about anything. Unlike some Boomer and Gen X employees who may tolerate this from their bosses, Millennials will quickly quit.

It is critical for employers to recognize that aside from race, gender and lifestyle diversity, age diversity is now something to be aware of. Younger employees probably won’t sue you based on age discrimination like older ones might, but they can still wreak havoc on your company’s stability. It’s impossible to grow and groom your next generation of leaders if they don’t stay!

For more tips about attracting, recruiting, managing and retaining Millennial talent, and improving your overall Generation Relations, visit this popular blog: http://blog.generationrelations.com

About the Author:
Lisa Orrell is the author of the popular book, “Millennials Incorporated” (on Amazon), and is an in-demand consultant and speaker about Millennials & Generation Relations. She has been a featured expert on MSNBC and in many publications. For more info about Lisa and her speaking topics, visit: www.TheOrrellGroup.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

IT Employment Still Up

2008-07-10T10:39:00.002-04:00

Here's an article showing U.S. IT jobs hitting a record high in recent months. Even more interesting though are the comments after the article. There remains a lot of cynicism regarding IT jobs in this country, but I think some of these folks need to objectively look at themselves in the mirror and ask where the problem lies. Granted there are many IT skill sets where supply by far exceeds demand, like in the management ranks. But if unemployment within your sector is low enough to be considered fully employed, and you have not worked in years, then perhaps you need to adjust your demands. Whether that be in salary, location, responsibilities, or whatever is preventing you from being hired. I still see that good workers are working and in demand. And they are compensated fairly well still. The good workers that are long unemployed are likely asking for something unrealistic to the current market. There will always be conspiracy theorists claiming that this article spins numbers. But we've seen similar numbers from industry sources such as the National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses (NACCB) July 2008 IT Employment Index

Social Networking at Work

2008-07-08T13:47:00.003-04:00

Social Networking in the workplace needs to be treated carefully. I won't claim to know a whole lot about the capabilities of MySpace, FaceBook, Twitter, or the many other available sites out there. But more and more the presence of your overall online profile will be coming into play in either your job, or your attempts to obtain a job. I cannot say that I have ever been influenced by someone's online presence enough to stop me from extending an offer of employment, at least not yet. I can see that eventually becoming a regular part of pre-employment due diligence though. Here is an article that offers some boundaries for both employees and employers.
The six commandments of social networking at work

Detroit Auto companies are taking a beating

2008-06-27T07:51:00.004-04:00

The Stock market was not kind to many yesterday, and the auto companies were in the middle if it all. GM's stock is down something like 70% year-to-date, at its lowest price in decades. Ford's stock took a hit while they are in the midst of again cutting staff. And Chrysler, although privately held, had to come out to deny bankruptcy rumors. All three are supposedly burning through cash reserves like a teenager burns texting minutes. But it wasn't just the auto companies that were slammed yesterday. Take a look at the banking stocks and you'll be glad for FDIC. And health care is down, even though they keep increasing prices on everything that touches that industry. Hopefully the auto companies have made enough changes already that they can weather this out for some time.

Chrysler Denies Bankruptcy
GM and Ford Stocks Get Slammed
Agency Deathwatch 2008